Trauma, Tea, and Tangents

What if some of the biggest misconceptions about trauma healing are actually getting in the way of it? 
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy, owner and clinical director of Revive Therapy Services, sits down with Chris Morrison, LPC, owner of Minds and Melody Therapy Services, to talk about the hills they’re willing to die on as trauma therapists. From the importance of the therapeutic relationship to why insight alone isn’t enough to heal, this conversation challenges common assumptions about what healing is supposed to look like.
They explore why creating a “brave space” may be more helpful than insisting therapy is a safe space, how grief and loss are often overlooked in trauma treatment, and why healing complex trauma takes time. They also discuss something many people need to hear: having a trauma response or getting triggered doesn't erase the progress you've made.
Whether you're a therapist, someone navigating your own healing, or simply curious about how trauma affects the mind and body, this episode offers a compassionate reminder that healing isn't about perfection. It's about building self-trust, recognizing your progress, and learning to meet yourself where you are.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why the therapeutic relationship matters just as much as the therapy approach
How power dynamics and identity can shape the therapy experience
Why a “brave space” may be more helpful than insisting on a “safe space”
How complex trauma can affect your understanding of safety
Why grief and loss deserve more attention in trauma therapy
Why understanding your trauma doesn't automatically mean you've healed it
Why healing takes time, especially when working through complex trauma
How rushing the healing process can overwhelm your nervous system
Why getting triggered doesn't mean you've lost your progress
How to recognize the small signs that you're healing, even when things feel hard
About our guest, Chris Morrison, LPC
Chris is a therapist and the owner of Minds and Melody Therapy Services. He integrates trauma therapy and music therapy into his work and offers virtual services in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, as well as in-person services in western Massachusetts and the Berkshires.
Chapters
00:57 – Meet Chris Morrison and Minds and Melody Therapy Services02:33 – The Hills We'd Die On as Trauma Therapists02:47 – Why the Therapeutic Relationship Comes First04:22 – Complex Trauma, Attachment, and the Therapy Relationship05:08 – Addressing Power Dynamics in Therapy07:27 – Hill #2: Creating a Brave Space Instead of a Safe Space09:23 – Why the Word “Safe” Can Be Triggering10:41 – Understanding What Safety Feels Like in Your Body12:08 – Hill #3: Grief and Loss in Trauma Healing13:28 – Learning to Grieve What You Didn't Receive15:31 – Hannah's Three Hills as a Trauma Therapist15:38 – Why Insight Alone Isn't Enough to Heal Trauma17:50 – Why Healing Takes Longer Than You Think19:21 – Why Slowing Down Matters in Trauma Therapy20:46 – Working With the Parts of You That Want to Rush Healing21:13 – Getting Triggered Doesn't Erase Your Progress23:27 – Recognizing the Small Signs of Healing24:57 – Healing Is a Lifelong Journey25:08 – Where to Find Chris and Minds and Melody Therapy Services25:56 – Nervous System Resources From Revive Therapy Services
✨ Connect with Chris Morrison:
Instagram: @christophermorrisonlpc
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

What if being single doesn't mean something is missing from your life? What if you could want a relationship and still feel fulfilled, secure, and happy exactly where you are?
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy sits down with Michael McQueary, creator of the Solo Circle app and community, to unpack society's pressure to be in a relationship and how it can affect our self-worth, attachment, and sense of fulfillment.
From family members asking when you'll find someone to the subtle ways society rewards couples, being single can sometimes feel like something you need to explain or fix. Michael shares how his own experience of being single inspired him to create a community where people can connect, support one another, and embrace this season of life rather than treating it like a waiting room for their next relationship.
Hannah brings a trauma-informed perspective to the conversation, exploring why some people feel that they aren't truly enough, safe, or fulfilled unless they're partnered. Together, they discuss how we can learn to tolerate loneliness, build self-trust, and identify what we're actually longing for when we say we want a relationship.
Because sometimes, what we're searching for isn't necessarily a partner. It's the feeling of being safe, confident, secure, or enough. And while relationships can absolutely add meaningful things to our lives, putting all our hopes for happiness onto another person can create unrealistic expectations and leave us feeling disappointed.
They also explore how attachment wounds and trauma can influence our relationship patterns, why some people repeatedly find themselves in similar dating situations, and how therapy can help us understand the beliefs and behaviors that may be getting in the way of the connection we want.
Whether you're happily single, tired of dating, healing after a breakup, or hoping to find a relationship without feeling like your life is on hold, this conversation is a reminder that you can want love without believing you need a relationship to be whole.
In this episode, we discuss:
Society's pressure to date, get married, and have children
The “singles tax” and the ways society favors couples
How relationship status can become tied to self-worth
Learning to embrace being single without giving up on love
Why we sometimes expect a partner to make us feel safe, secure, or enough
Building self-trust and learning to sit with loneliness
How attachment trauma can shape dating patterns and relationship beliefs
Why a relationship ending doesn't mean it was a failure
When community support may be helpful and when therapy might be worth exploring
Using your time single to grow, learn, and build a relationship with yourself
About our guest
Michael McQueary is the creator of Solo Circle, an app and community designed to help singles connect and navigate life outside of a romantic relationship. You can find him on Instagram at @solo_experiences or learn more about the community at solocircleapp.com.
Chapters
00:58 – Meet Michael McQueary and Solo Circle01:31 – Why Society Pressures Us to Be in Relationships02:59 – “You'll Find Someone”: The Pressure After a Breakup03:35 – How Society Caters to Couples04:26 – The “Singles Tax”05:05 – The Traditional Relationship Timeline05:51 – The Pressure to Find Your Person06:44 – The Benefits of Being Single07:24 – When Self-Worth Depends on Relationship Status08:40 – Can a Relationship Really Make You Feel Fulfilled?09:34 – Embracing Being Single as a Time for Growth10:12 – Wanting Love While Accepting Where You Are10:32 – What Are You Really Looking for in a Relationship?11:35 – Finding Safety and Fulfillment Within Yourself11:58 – Getting Out of Your Own Way in Relationships13:20 – Why a Relationship Ending Isn't a Failure14:36 – Pressure Within the Single Community15:55 – Challenging the Belief That Something Is Wrong With You16:56 – Dating, Effort, and the Role of Luck17:40 – Why Community Matters When You're Single18:13 – “We're Not Alone in Being Alone”18:40 – Community Support vs. Therapy20:21 – When Relationship Beliefs Go Deeper Than Dating21:56 – Recognizing Patterns in Relationships22:43 – Normalizing Being Single23:30 – How to Connect With Solo Circle24:38 – Nervous System Resources From Revive Therapy Services
 
✨ Connect with Michael McQueary:
Instagram: @solo_experiences 
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

If you've ever started therapy thinking, “Okay, I'm ready. Let's just get rid of this trauma already,” this episode is for you.
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah sits down with Katie Miller, LPC, owner of Inner Light Holistic Healing, EMDR-certified therapist, and EMDR consultant, to talk about something that doesn't always get enough attention when it comes to trauma therapy: preparation.
A lot of people hear “EMDR” and immediately think of eye movements and trauma reprocessing. But EMDR is an eight-phase process, and the preparation phase is a huge part of the work. Katie explains why therapists shouldn't rush clients into reprocessing and why building nervous system capacity, learning coping skills, understanding your history, and developing resources can be just as important as the actual processing itself.
Hannah and Katie also talk about why the desperation to “just get it over with” can sometimes be part of a trauma response itself. When you're exhausted by your symptoms, it can be tempting to want to jump straight into the hardest part—but trauma healing isn't about going in “guns blazing.” Sometimes you have to slow down in order to eventually go faster.
The conversation also dives into titration, the window of tolerance, dissociation, and nervous system responses. Katie explains why trauma processing should happen in manageable pieces rather than trying to tackle everything at once, and why being “not ready” for reprocessing doesn't mean you're not ready for trauma therapy.
Hannah and Katie also challenge the idea that trauma responses make you broken or defective. Panic, dissociation, anxiety, fight, flight, freeze, and fawning are all nervous system responses that developed for a reason. The goal isn't to get rid of your nervous system—it's to help recalibrate it so it can better distinguish between actual danger and situations that only feel dangerous because of past experiences.
They also talk about what progress can actually look like, why healing shouldn't be measured by whether you ever get triggered again, and what it means to recognize that your nervous system is responding differently than it did years ago.
And, because this is Trauma, Tea & Tangents, they take a tangent into ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, EMDR, neuroplasticity, and the importance of integration—including how creating experiences of safety, calm, joy, and hope can be an important part of trauma healing.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why EMDR has eight phases—and why each phase matters
Why preparation is not a checkbox before trauma processing
Why you can't “ramrod” your way through trauma
What it actually means to be ready for EMDR
The difference between being ready for EMDR and being ready for reprocessing
Why some people may spend months or even years in preparation
Building nervous system capacity and expanding your window of tolerance
What titration means in trauma therapy
Why trauma processing should happen in manageable pieces
Dissociation and why it can be a survival response
Understanding fight, flight, freeze, and fawning through a strength-based lens
The “smoke detector” metaphor for trauma responses
Why feeling broken doesn't mean you're actually broken
How to recognize progress through changes in intensity, duration, and frequency
What intrinsic motivation and curiosity have to do with starting trauma therapy
Why you don't have to feel 100% ready to begin therapy
How EMDR can be adapted for complex trauma and dissociation
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy and the importance of integration
Building experiences of safety, calm, joy, and hope
Ways to build nervous system capacity outside of therapy
Chapters
00:58 – Meet Katie Miller, LPC01:35 – The “Order of Operations” in Trauma Healing02:00 – Why You Can't Rush Trauma Processing02:40 – The Importance of EMDR Preparation03:10 – EMDR Is More Than Eye Movements04:11 – Why Rushing Trauma Processing Can Backfire04:34 – “Your Nervous System Isn't Ready”05:16 – Preparation Is Part of the Work06:09 – Building Capacity Before Processing Trauma06:23 – Why Trauma Therapy Isn't a 60-Foot Cliff07:02 – What Is Titration?08:40 – How Do You Know If You're Ready for EMDR?09:30 – EMDR and Complex Trauma10:44 – When Preparation Takes Months or Years11:18 – Desensitization Before Processing12:50 – Understanding Dissociation as a Survival Response13:47 – The Smoke Detector Metaphor14:54 – “I'm Broken”: Why Trauma Responses Don't Mean You're Defective16:25 – Measuring Progress in Trauma Healing18:12 – Are You Ready for Trauma Therapy?19:14 – Motivation, Curiosity & Starting EMDR20:45 – Why Preparation Matters Before Reprocessing21:13 – Being Open to the Process22:40 – Katie's Practice & EMDR Consultation24:58 – EMDR & Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy26:21 – Why Integration Matters27:05 – Using Ketamine to Experience Safety & Joy27:49 – Final Thoughts & Nervous System Resources
You don't have to attack your trauma all at once. Sometimes the most important part of trauma healing is learning that you can safely be with what you're experiencing before you're asked to process the deepest parts of it.
If you're considering EMDR or trauma therapy, this conversation is a helpful reminder that moving slowly doesn't mean you're failing—and taking time to prepare isn't wasted time. Preparation is part of the healing.
✨ Connect with Katie Miller:
Instagram: @inner_light_holistic_healing
TikTok: @inner_light_holistic
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

If you've been in therapy for months—or even years—and still find yourself wondering, “Why am I still like this?”, this episode is for you.
In this solo episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah breaks down five reasons healing might feel slower than you expected. And no, the answer isn't that you're broken, bad at therapy, or “too complicated.”
Sometimes you can understand your trauma intellectually, know your attachment style, recognize your triggers, and have read every self-help book out there—but still find yourself completely activated when something hits a familiar wound. That's because understanding your trauma and changing the way your nervous system responds are not always the same thing.
Hannah explores what happens when your thinking brain knows you're safe but your body is responding as if you're in danger, and why approaches that involve the body—such as EMDR, somatic work, and Internal Family Systems—can be helpful for some people alongside traditional talk therapy.
She also talks about what happens outside the therapy hour, why practicing nervous system skills when you're not triggered matters, and how small moments of present-moment awareness can help your body become more familiar with what safety feels like.
Another major theme is how we measure progress. Healing doesn't mean never getting triggered again. Instead, Hannah encourages looking at things like intensity, duration, frequency, and your ability to pause or respond differently when something difficult happens.
Finally, Hannah talks about unrealistic healing timelines, the pressure created by social media “before and after” stories, and why expecting your nervous system to completely change after a few months of therapy isn't necessarily a realistic expectation.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why understanding your trauma isn't always the same as processing it
The difference between intellectual insight and nervous system responses
Why your body can react to a trigger even when you logically know you're safe
Top-down vs. bottom-up approaches to therapy
EMDR, somatic work, and Internal Family Systems
Why healing doesn't only happen during your therapy session
Simple ways to practice present-moment awareness throughout your day
Why you should practice regulation skills before you're at a 10/10
How to recognize progress even when you're still getting triggered
Measuring healing through intensity, duration, and frequency
When a different type of therapy may be worth exploring
Why healing timelines are often much less linear than social media makes them look
How unrealistic expectations can make you feel like you're failing
Finding realistic milestones that show you're actually making progress
A simple nervous-system practice Hannah challenges listeners to try this week
Chapters
00:57 – Welcome to Trauma, Tea & Tangents01:08 – Why Does Healing Feel So Slow?02:08 – Knowing Your Trauma vs. Actually Processing It03:12 – What Happens in Your Brain When You're Triggered04:16 – Why Your Body Doesn't Always Believe You're Safe05:42 – Why Healing Requires More Than Talking About It06:18 – Reason #2: Therapy Is One Hour of Your Week07:26 – What You Can Do Outside of Therapy08:42 – Using Your Five Senses to Practice Safety09:35 – Why You Should Practice Before You're Triggered10:48 – Reason #3: Triggers Don't Mean Therapy Isn't Working11:58 – Measuring Progress Differently13:03 – A Personal Example of Healing Progress14:25 – Intensity, Duration & Frequency15:18 – Reason #4: Are You Doing the Right Type of Therapy?16:12 – Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Therapy17:22 – How Bottom-Up Approaches Work18:03 – Finding the Right Approach for Your Nervous System18:20 – Reason #5: Your Healing Timeline May Be Unrealistic19:10 – Why Healing Doesn't Always Look Like Social Media20:05 – Trauma Takes Time to Rewire20:45 – What You Can Actually Control21:05 – Hannah's Nervous System Challenge22:04 – Revive Therapy Services & Current Openings22:25 – Nervous System Worksheets & Resources23:10 – Final Thoughts
Healing isn't about never being triggered again. It's about learning to respond differently, building your capacity for safety, and recognizing progress that you might otherwise overlook.
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

What if healing doesn't just bring relief — what if it also brings grief?
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy, LCSW, sits down with Marisa Ronquillo, LMFT, owner of Insightful Roots Therapy in California, to talk about a part of the healing process that often doesn't get enough attention: hidden grief.
When we begin healing from trauma, we can develop a new understanding of our childhood, our relationships, our bodies, and even ourselves. And sometimes that awareness comes with a painful realization: there were things we needed that we didn't receive, experiences we should have had that we didn't, or versions of ourselves that never got the chance to feel safe, express themselves, or take up space.
Marisa shares a personal example of unexpectedly connecting with a younger version of herself through something as simple as a song and a familiar childhood lip balm. That moment brought up both pride for who she has become and grief for the younger versions of herself who were afraid to take up space and didn't know how to express or process their emotions.
Hannah and Marisa also explore what can happen when we begin to recognize that experiences we considered “normal” growing up may not actually have been healthy or supportive. This can be especially powerful when working through attachment trauma and early childhood experiences. Realizing that you weren't responsible for regulating yourself as a young child can bring liberation — but it can also bring grief for the care and support you deserved.
And grief isn't always sadness. It can look like anger, confusion, acceptance, longing, frustration, or all of those things at once. Healing may involve grieving the parent you wished you had, the childhood you didn't get, friendships that no longer feel healthy, or relationships that change as you begin to understand yourself differently.
The conversation also explores what happens when healing changes the way we see the people around us. Sometimes growth makes it clearer which relationships are supportive and which ones no longer work for us. Creating distance doesn't always mean completely cutting someone off — sometimes it means allowing a relationship to become something different. And even when that change is healthy, there can still be grief in it.
Most importantly, Hannah and Marisa talk about why you don't need to know exactly where your healing journey is going. You don't need to know the ending or have every emotion figured out. Sometimes the work is simply being present with what comes up, holding space for it, and remembering why you started healing in the first place.
🎙️ Listen to Trauma, Tea & Tangents on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Chapters:
00:58 – Welcome & Meet Marisa Ronquillo, LMFT01:23 – What Is Hidden Grief in Healing?01:40 – How Grief Became Part of Marisa's Understanding of Healing02:42 – Why Trauma Education Isn't Always Taught in Grad School03:12 – A Personal Example of Unexpected Grief04:45 – Grieving Younger Versions of Yourself05:12 – Recognizing What Wasn't Healthy in Childhood06:54 – The Sadness That Comes With Awareness07:18 – Why Grief Is Messy and Complicated07:24 – Grieving the Parent You Wished You Had08:18 – When You Realize Your Childhood Wasn't “Fine”09:25 – The Anger of Realizing “It's Not Fair”09:57 – Becoming a Parent & Grieving Your Own Childhood10:51 – When Your Relationship With Your Parents Is “Okay”11:20 – Why We Blame Ourselves as Children11:44 – The Grief of Seeing Things Differently11:59 – Finding Hope in the Healing Process13:01 – You Don't Have to Know the Ending13:49 – How Healing Can Change Your Relationships14:45 – When Long-Term Friendships No Longer Fit15:26 – There Is Grief Everywhere15:41 – Why We Avoid Grief16:06 – Finding Beauty Within Grief16:27 – The Importance of Emotional Literacy17:08 – The Tangent: What Should We Actually Learn in School?18:04 – Where to Find Marisa & Her Practice18:16 – Revive Therapy Services & Healing Resources19:01 – Final Thoughts & Closing
 
✨ Connect with Marisa Ronquillo:
Instagram: @therapywith.marisa
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

If you’ve ever wondered whether GLP-1 medications can actually help heal your relationship with food and your body — or whether they might make things more complicated — this episode is for you.
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy, LCSW, sits down with Lizzie Fischer, a certified intuitive eating counselor and certified therapeutic recreational therapist, to have a nuanced conversation about GLP-1 medications, body image, eating disorders, diet culture, and self-trust.
GLP-1s have become nearly impossible to avoid talking about. But the conversation around them is often incredibly black and white: you’re either completely for them or completely against them. Hannah and Lizzie take a different approach. Instead of telling people what they should or shouldn’t do, they explore the bigger questions underneath the decision — What is motivating you to take a GLP-1? How does seeing your body become smaller affect your confidence? Can you still trust your hunger cues? And what happens when weight loss becomes tied to feeling worthy, lovable, healthy, or “enough”?
For people with a history of eating disorders or disordered eating, weight loss and appetite suppression can bring up complicated feelings and behaviors. Lizzie and Hannah talk about how GLP-1s can intersect with restriction, food rules, cognitive rigidity, body image, and the desire to finally feel comfortable in your body. They also discuss why choosing to use a GLP-1 doesn't automatically mean someone is doing something wrong — and why having an open, nonjudgmental conversation about the decision can be more helpful than shame.
At the center of the conversation is self-trust. Healing your relationship with food and your body isn't about finding the perfect rule or making the perfect decision. It's about developing the ability to stay curious, pay attention to what your body is telling you, and trust yourself to make decisions that support you.
Lizzie also shares practical ways to begin building body trust, including eating consistently, paying attention to how food feels physically and mentally, approaching your body's responses with curiosity instead of judgment, and finding movement that you genuinely enjoy.
In this episode, we discuss:
GLP-1 medications and the current conversation around them
Why the conversation about GLP-1s is often so black and white
Intuitive eating, body acceptance, and Health at Every Size
The difference between body respect and body size
GLP-1s, weight loss, and body image
How GLP-1s may affect people with a history of eating disorders or disordered eating
Food rules, restriction, and cognitive rigidity
Why weight loss doesn't automatically heal body image
The connection between trauma healing and self-trust
Building trust with your hunger and fullness cues
Curiosity instead of judgment when noticing how your body responds
Moving your body for enjoyment rather than changing its appearance
Practical ways to start building body trust
This conversation isn't about deciding whether GLP-1s are “good” or “bad.” It's about making room for nuance, curiosity, autonomy, and a more compassionate relationship with your body and food.
Chapters:00:57 – Welcome & Meet Lizzie Fischer01:33 – The Conversation Around GLP-1s01:47 – GLP-1s & Intuitive Eating02:33 – Why GLP-1s Aren’t a Black-and-White Issue03:06 – Body Acceptance vs. Demonizing Thinness03:53 – Creating Open Conversations About GLP-1s04:51 – Are GLP-1s Just Another Diet Trend?05:59 – Understanding the Motivation Behind Taking a GLP-106:51 – GLP-1s, Body Image & Eating Disorder History08:12 – Can You Build Body Trust While Taking a GLP-1?08:34 – Self-Inquiry & Understanding Confidence09:25 – Self-Trust as Part of Healing10:19 – What Does Body Trust Actually Mean?11:16 – Food, Fear & Letting Go of Rigid Rules11:25 – “One Food Won’t Change Your Body”12:32 – Food Moralization & Wellness Culture13:18 – Why GLP-1s Can Feel Like the “Last Option”13:40 – Shame, Secrecy & the “Cheating” Narrative14:36 – Diet Culture, Body Modification & “Never Enough”16:00 – Privilege, Effort & Weight Loss17:11 – Challenging Our Own Internalized Fatphobia18:15 – Finding the Nuance in GLP-1 Conversations19:03 – Self-Trust Over “Should I or Shouldn’t I?”19:38 – Practical Ways to Build Self-Trust20:19 – Curiosity Instead of Judgment21:30 – Movement, Body Trust & Enjoyment22:23 – Lizzie’s Coaching & Upcoming Yoga Series22:53 – Revive Therapy Services & Eating Disorder Therapy24:03 – Final Thoughts
 
✨ Connect with Lizzie Fischer:
Instagram: @lizziefischer.coaching
Website: Lizziefischercoaching.com/services
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

What if healing from trauma doesn't always start by talking about the trauma itself?
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy, LCSW, is joined by Chris Morrison, LPC, owner of Minds and Melody Therapy Services, to explore the role of music therapy in trauma healing, nervous system regulation, and building a sense of safety before deeper trauma processing begins.
Together, they unpack what music therapy actually is, what a music therapy session can look like, and how music can be used as a therapeutic tool to support emotional, cognitive, and social goals. Chris explains how interventions like active music listening, guided imagery, songwriting, and instrument playing can create opportunities for healing that may feel different from traditional talk therapy.
They also dive into the importance of stabilization before trauma reprocessing. Because trauma therapy isn't about forcing yourself to relive everything that happened or jumping straight into the most painful memories before your nervous system is ready.
Whether you're navigating PTSD, complex trauma, anxiety, dissociation, emotional overwhelm, or simply curious about music therapy, this conversation offers a deeper look at how we can build capacity, expand our window of tolerance, and create experiences of safety in the body.
You'll learn how music can become an anchor during difficult moments, how predictable and repetitive sounds can support nervous system regulation, and how gradually introducing discomfort in a safe environment can help build distress tolerance without overwhelming your system.
Whether you're interested in music therapy, currently doing trauma work, or wondering why your therapist keeps focusing on coping skills before getting into the “real” work, this episode is a reminder that stabilization is not avoiding healing.
Sometimes, stabilization is the healing.
Before we ask the nervous system to revisit what once felt unbearable, we may first need to help it learn something new: that discomfort can come and go, that activation doesn't have to mean danger, and that you can return to safety again.
Chapters
00:59 – Welcome & Meet Chris Morrison01:49 – Chris's Experience as a Music Therapist02:10 – What Is Music Therapy?03:16 – What Does Music Therapy Look Like in Session?04:00 – Why Music Can Access Experiences Beyond Words05:12 – Music, Memory & Emotional Expression06:31 – Using Music as a Therapeutic Intervention08:04 – Why Stabilization Comes Before Trauma Reprocessing09:18 – Understanding the Window of Tolerance10:42 – Building Capacity for Trauma Healing12:05 – When Trauma Therapy Moves Too Fast13:30 – Why You Don't Have to “Rip Off the Band-Aid”15:02 – Safety, Readiness & Collaborative Trauma Work16:24 – Why Going Outside Your Window of Tolerance Can Be Harmful17:21 – The “Jumping Off the Cliff” Myth of Trauma Therapy18:03 – Using Music Therapy to Build Capacity18:26 – Combining Breathwork & Music19:46 – Music as a Tool for Distress Tolerance20:14 – Using Breath as an Anchor During Discomfort21:30 – Gradually Building Nervous System Capacity22:40 – How Music Can Support Emotional Regulation23:50 – Bringing Stabilization Skills Into Everyday Life25:02 – Chris's Work & Resources26:00 – Final Thoughts & Closing
✨ Connect with Chris Morrison:
Instagram: @christophermorrisonlpc
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

What if losing weight, following the “perfect” diet, or finally changing your body doesn't actually make you feel confident?
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy, LCSW, is joined by certified intuitive eating coach and therapeutic recreation therapist Lizzie Fischer to unpack one of the biggest lies behind body image struggles: the belief that happiness, confidence, and self-worth are waiting for us on the other side of a smaller body.
Together, they explore diet culture, disordered eating, intuitive eating, eating disorder recovery, food freedom, and the complicated relationship between trauma, the nervous system, and our relationship with food and our bodies.
Lizzie shares her own journey from dieting and body dissatisfaction to bulimia, orthorexic behaviors, and eventually finding a more compassionate and trusting relationship with food through intuitive eating and body awareness. Hannah and Lizzie also discuss why eating disorders and disordered eating can become coping mechanisms, how food and body image can act as a distraction from deeper emotional pain, and why healing often requires more than simply changing your eating habits.
Whether you're struggling with body image, chronic dieting, binge eating, disordered eating, or constantly feeling like you'll finally be happy once you lose “just a few more pounds,” this conversation offers a different perspective.
You'll learn why the goalposts around body image often continue to move, why unconditional permission to eat can feel so scary, how rebuilding trust with your body takes time, and why healing your relationship with food doesn't have to mean achieving a particular body size.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why losing weight doesn't automatically create body confidenceThe lie that the “perfect” body or diet will finally make you happyGrowing up in diet culture and learning body dissatisfactionLizzie's experience with bulimia, orthorexic behaviors, and recoveryHow intuitive eating can help rebuild trust with food and your bodyWhy disordered eating can become a coping mechanismThe connection between trauma, dissociation, and eating disordersWhy food and body image can distract us from deeper emotional painHow the nervous system influences eating patterns and behaviorInterrupting binge eating patterns with curiosity and mindfulnessWhy healing your relationship with food takes timeMaking small changes that feel safe for your nervous systemWhy there is no one-size-fits-all approach to eating disorder recoveryWhat unconditional permission to eat actually meansLetting go of rigid food rules and the fear of losing controlHow to rebuild self-trust around food and eatingBody awareness, interoception, and learning what your body is communicatingWhy your body can be resilient—even when you don't make the “perfect” choiceThe pressure to believe healing will automatically lead to weight lossWhy your healing, self-worth, and progress cannot be measured by the number on a scale
Whether you're in eating disorder recovery, exploring intuitive eating, or simply exhausted from constantly thinking about food and your body, this episode is a reminder that healing isn't about finally finding the perfect set of rules.
It's about learning to step outside of them.
Your relationship with food and your body may take time to heal, and that healing might look different than you expected. You may lose weight, gain weight, or stay the same—but none of those outcomes determine whether you've healed.
Because your worth was never supposed to depend on the size of your body in the first place.
Chapters
00:57 – Welcome & Meet Lizzie Fischer01:58 – Lizzie's Journey With Diet Culture & Body Image03:00 – When Dieting Turned Into an Eating Disorder04:00 – Bulimia, Recovery & Asking for Support05:27 – Discovering Intuitive Eating & Food Freedom06:17 – How Diet Culture and Disordered Eating Become Normalized07:27 – The Lie of the “Perfect” Body08:07 – Food Freedom & Letting Go of the Pressure to Be Smaller08:41 – Trauma, Dissociation & Eating Disorders10:02 – Using Food and Body Image as a Coping Mechanism10:46 – Why Reaching Your Goal Weight Is Never Enough12:34 – Rewiring Patterns & Creating New Coping Strategies14:28 – Healing Slowly and Safely16:00 – Why Recovery Looks Different for Everyone16:58 – Intuitive Eating vs. Using Food to Cope18:24 – What Does Unconditional Permission to Eat Mean?19:26 – Learning to Trust Your Body Around Food20:08 – Letting Go of Perfection Around Eating21:07 – Body Awareness, Interoception & Rebuilding Self-Trust22:29 – Does Healing Your Relationship With Food Lead to Weight Loss?23:32 – Why You Can't Measure Healing by the Scale24:18 – Lizzie's Yoga Practice & Reconnecting With Your Body25:22 – Eating Disorder Therapy & Resources26:12 – Final Thoughts & Closing
 
✨ Connect with Lizzie Fischer:
Instagram: @lizziefischer.coaching
Website: lizziefischercoaching.com/services
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

What if wanting to make more money as a therapist doesn't make you greedy, selfish, or less compassionate?
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy, LCSW, sits down with fellow therapist and group practice owner Jen Nobo, LCSW, to have an honest conversation about the complicated relationship therapists have with money, charging their worth, and building a financially sustainable private practice.
Together, they unpack the message so many therapists—especially social workers—hear throughout their education and careers: "We didn't get into this work to make money." But what happens when that mindset becomes a belief that therapists shouldn't want financial stability, abundance, or a better quality of life?
Hannah and Jen explore therapist money mindset, the pressure to keep therapy affordable, low wages in mental health, the financial investment required to become a therapist, and why therapists shouldn't have to sacrifice their own financial well-being to care deeply about their clients.
Whether you're a therapist considering private practice, a newer clinician figuring out what to charge, or an established practice owner struggling with pricing and limiting beliefs around money, this conversation will challenge the idea that making a good living and being a compassionate therapist are mutually exclusive.
You'll learn why charging what you're worth can actually support better client care, how therapist burnout is connected to unsustainable workloads, and why building a financially sustainable practice can give therapists more capacity to specialize, seek consultation, continue their education, and show up more fully for their clients.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why therapists are taught that they shouldn't get into the field for the moneyHow therapist money mindset can impact pricing and private practice decisionsWhy wanting financial abundance doesn't make you a bad therapistThe financial investment involved in becoming a licensed therapistWhy therapists often undervalue their education, training, and clinical expertiseThe pressure to offer low-cost or sliding-scale therapyHow charging sustainable rates can support therapist well-beingThe connection between therapist burnout and excessive caseloadsWhy seeing 30–40 clients a week isn't sustainable for everyoneHow therapist capacity impacts the quality of mental health careWhy newer therapists don't necessarily need to discount their servicesChallenging limiting beliefs around what clients can and cannot affordWhy specialization and advanced training require financial investmentHow private practice can create more freedom and flexibility for therapistsThe return on investment of therapy for clientsWhy therapy is a long-term investment rather than a quick fixWhy therapists can care deeply about their clients and still want to make moneyCreating a sustainable therapy practice without sacrificing your values
Whether you're a therapist in community mental health, considering private practice, building a group practice, or simply questioning your relationship with money, this episode is a reminder that financial sustainability and compassionate care can coexist.
Therapists deserve to be paid fairly for the education, emotional labor, expertise, and responsibility they bring to their work. Caring about people and wanting a financially stable life aren't mutually exclusive.
Chapters
00:57 – Welcome & Meet Jen Nobo01:22 – Why Therapists Have Complicated Relationships With Money01:46 – “We Didn't Get Into This to Make Money”02:04 – Can Therapists Have an Abundance Mindset?02:34 – Is Affordable Therapy the Therapist's Responsibility?03:39 – Why Therapists Are Expected to Sacrifice Financially04:37 – The Financial Investment of Becoming a Therapist05:47 – How Long Does It Take to Become a Licensed Therapist?06:20 – The Emotional Labor of Being a Therapist07:43 – Low Pay & the Cost of Mental Health Work08:27 – Unrealistic Caseloads & Therapist Burnout09:08 – Why Therapists Normalize Being Underpaid10:09 – The “Earn Your Keep” Mentality in Private Practice10:48 – Should New Therapists Charge Less?11:50 – Challenging Limiting Beliefs Around Therapist Rates12:37 – Are We Underestimating What Clients Can Afford?13:54 – Low Rates, High Caseloads & Unsustainable Practices14:36 – How Caseload Size Impacts Quality of Therapy15:38 – Why Therapists Need Financial Freedom to Specialize16:35 – Generalists vs. Specialists in Mental Health16:55 – Therapist Capacity, Self-Care & Quality of Care18:21 – The Client Perspective: Is Therapy Worth the Investment?19:12 – Therapy as a Long-Term Investment20:26 – Why Making Money Doesn't Make You a Bad Therapist21:10 – Final Thoughts & Resources
 
✨ Connect with Jennifer Nobo:
Instagram & TikTok: @jen.nobo
Website: reimaginementalhealthcollective.com
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/?utm_source=Bio&utm_medium=Pod
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store

Ever wondered why therapy feels so slow or why you aren't "better" yet? What if slow doesn't mean therapy isn't working?
In this episode of Trauma, Tea & Tangents, Hannah Guy, LCSW, is joined by Hannah Ciampini, LCSW, owner of Hello Calm Therapy, to talk about why trauma therapy can feel frustratingly slow and why building the capacity to heal often requires more time and preparation than we expect.
Together, they explore the differences between weekly therapy and EMDR intensives, why some clients seek intensive therapy when they feel stuck, and how nervous system capacity plays a major role in trauma recovery. They also discuss why healing from complex trauma can't always be rushed and why sometimes the most important work happening in therapy may not feel like you're making progress at all.
Whether you're considering EMDR therapy, trauma therapy, an EMDR intensive, or you've been in therapy for months and are wondering when you're finally going to feel better, this conversation offers an honest look at what trauma healing can actually look like.
You'll learn why consistency matters, how your nervous system's capacity affects trauma processing, why EMDR has multiple phases for a reason, and how going too fast in trauma therapy can actually make the healing process more difficult.
In this episode, we discuss:
Why trauma therapy can feel slow even when you're making progressThe difference between weekly therapy and EMDR intensivesHow EMDR intensives can help clients who feel stuck in weekly therapyWhy consistency matters in trauma recoveryHow the nervous system responds to stress and traumaWhat "nervous system capacity" actually meansWhy trauma healing requires building your capacity slowlyThe relationship between complex trauma and consistent therapeutic relationshipsWhy EMDR preparation is just as important as reprocessingThe eight phases of EMDR and why therapists shouldn't skip the preparation stagesHow rushing trauma therapy can lead to overwhelm or retraumatizationWhy your therapist should be able to explain what you're working on and whyHow to ask your therapist questions about your treatment planWhy therapy isn't one-size-fits-allHow clients can continue building nervous system capacity outside of therapy
Whether you're frustrated that therapy isn't moving quickly enough, wondering if EMDR is right for you, or simply trying to understand why trauma healing takes time, this episode is a reminder that slow doesn't necessarily mean stuck.
Trauma therapy isn't about jumping off the highest cliff and hoping you'll somehow land safely. It's about building enough safety, coping skills, and nervous system capacity that you can eventually face what once felt impossible—and know that you can handle it.
Chapters
00:58 – Welcome & Meet Hannah Ciampini01:28 – Why Does Therapy Feel So Slow?01:44 – What Is an EMDR Intensive?02:32 – Weekly Therapy vs. Intensive Therapy03:19 – Why We Want Healing to Happen Faster03:46 – The Value of Consistent Weekly Therapy04:37 – How the Therapeutic Relationship Can Be Healing05:32 – Using Intensives to Get Unstuck05:47 – What Is Nervous System Capacity?06:57 – Building Your Nervous System "Response Team"07:54 – Why Trauma Healing Takes Time08:23 – Why Healing Requires Going Slowly09:09 – Who Is a Good Fit for an EMDR Intensive?10:30 – You Don't Have to Jump Off the 60-Foot Cliff11:15 – The Importance of EMDR Preparation11:58 – Why EMDR Has Eight Phases12:44 – Why You Shouldn't Rush Trauma Work13:31 – When Urgency Is a Sign to Slow Down14:04 – Can EMDR Be Re-Traumatic?14:41 – Why the "Slow" Work Matters15:16 – How to Ask Your Therapist About Your Progress15:58 – Advocating for Yourself in Therapy16:49 – What a Healthy Therapeutic Relationship Looks Like17:44 – Understanding Your EMDR Treatment Plan17:56 – EMDR Intensives & Coaching for Therapists18:11 – Resources for Building Nervous System Capacity19:02 – Final Thoughts & Closing
 
✨ Connect with Hannah Ciampini:
Instagram: @blueprintandbloomlab
Website: www.Hellocalmtherapy.com 
✨Looking for trauma therapy in Pennsylvania or Colorado?
Revive Therapy Services specializes in trauma therapy, EMDR therapy, eating disorder treatment, body image concerns, PTSD, complex trauma, and Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). We offer virtual and in person therapy throughout Pennsylvania and Colorado.
Learn more: www.revivetherapyservices.com
Instagram & TikTok: @revivetherapyservices
Worksheets: https://www.revivetherapyservices.com/store