Light Up The Couch

Dr. Keith Klostermann, LMFT, MHC, shares practical, evidence-based ways to use early feedback data to spot dropout risk, repair ruptures before clients vanish, and foster lasting engagement and progress. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Quick Note: You may notice a little clicking in Beth’s audio during this episode — turns out her microphone needed replacing, which she discovered after recor...

Dr. Elyssa Helfer, CST, LMFT, explores the ethical and cultural dimensions of kink-affirming therapy, helping clinicians distinguish between abuse and healthy erotic expression to enhance ethical competence and cultural humility. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire year,...

Dr. Matt Zakreski, PsyD, reframes “deficits” as different operating systems, highlighting neurodiversity across giftedness, autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and OCD (the "big five"), and explores how clinicians can adapt care with supports that build on clients’ strengths and maximize skills. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membersh...

Lara Okoloko, LICSW, traces codependency’s roots in addiction culture, exposing the cultural and clinical gaps created when vague definitions pathologize normal caregiving. She then introduces evidence-based strategies that promote autonomy and reduce harm. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE...

Dr. Jaimee Arnoff reviews evidence-based strategies to help caregivers support adolescents facing suicidal ideation or self-harm, including guidance on boundary setting, safety planning, and recognizing when to escalate to emergency services. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT.Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an...

Linda Hershman, LMFT, examines how later-in-life parental divorce disrupts rituals, relationships, finances, and caregiving for Adult Children of Divorce (ACODs), highlighting ways to validate their grief and foster resilience across family systems. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT.Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits...

Amanda Ann Gregory, LCPC, offers a critical look at forgiveness in trauma therapy, clarifying its elective role and its distinction from reconciliation, as well as providing practical tools to help therapists integrate these concepts responsibly into treatment. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcas...

Dr. Beth Mullen-Houser explores how Internal Family Systems (IFS) can help therapists recognize and repair ruptures caused by disconnection. This episode examines the ethical responsibility of staying present and attuned, even when our own internal systems get activated. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimi...

Bronwyn Schweigerdt, LMFT explores how early attachment disruptions and alexithymia can impair a client’s ability to recognize and articulate anger. This interview offers structured strategies to support emotional identification and expression in session. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE c...

Dr. Erika Felix, PSY, discusses the psychological impact of natural and human-caused disasters, offering clinical strategies and protective factors that support healing in individuals and communities. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire year, with some of the strongest C...

Dr. Nancy Grechko, PSY, explores how attachment wounds and nervous system dysregulation may draw clients to intense, but harmful, relationships, and how clinicians can gently intervene in support of safety and stability. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire year, with som...

Dr. Kristin Dempsey, LMFT, LPCC, provides a framework for addressing unexpected client behavior without losing your ethical footing, talking through concerns like a client being inebriated in session to boundary issues. Dr. Dempsey discusses how to uphold therapeutic integrity while adapting to real-world challenges in virtual and in-person care. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credi...

Angela Brooks-Livingston, LCMHCS, explores the evolution from affirming to competent care for transgender and gender expansive clients, offering guidance on historical context, gatekeeping, letter-writing, and creating a more deliberately inclusive practice. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast C...

Laurel Roberts-Meese, LMFT, equips therapists with practical tools and essential knowledge to foster cultural competency, navigate nuanced dynamics, and provide affirming, inclusive care to queer couples, from intake to intervention. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire y...

Dr. Lana Holmes teaches how erasure, bias, and repeated coming out shape the mental health of bi and pan individuals, including discussion about identity, stress, and clinical strategies for affirming care. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire year, with some of the stron...

Julia Aziz, LCSW and interfaith ceremonialist, explores how ritual and ceremony can support clients through life transitions. This course offers culturally responsive tools for integrating meaning-making and spiritual practice into therapy. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an e...

Dr. Brittany Peters, LCSW, explores the complexities of clinical supervision, from interpersonal dynamics to systemic influences. This course offers tools for structured planning, effective feedback, and culturally aware leadership. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire ye...

Dr. Robin Raniero Norris, LMFT, highlights how learning disorders may impact mental health and present in therapy. This episode provides tools to recognize signs and offer supportive, informed care. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire year, with some of the strongest CE...

Dr. Kristin Dempsey, LMFT, LPCC, explores harm reduction as a clinical and social justice framework for supporting clients with substance use and process addictions. This course equips clinicians with tools to foster autonomy, safety, and nonjudgmental collaboration across the spectrum of recovery. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our lo...

Renowned psychologist Dr. Donald Meichenbaum explores the science of resilience, examining why some individuals recover from trauma while others struggle with lasting distress. Through evidence-based strategies, clinicians will learn how to enhance protective factors, support meaning-making, and apply cognitive-behavioral techniques to foster resilience in their clients. Interview with Elizabeth I...

Khara Croswaite Brindle, LPC, ACS, CFT-I, explores the silent burden clinicians carry after a client’s suicide, addressing grief, ethical dilemmas, and self-care. This course provides essential strategies for navigating loss while maintaining professional integrity and resilience. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership...

Patricia Young, MSW, a neurodivergent coach and former LCSW, explores the complexities of high-masking autism in AFAB individuals, highlighting late diagnosis, internalized masking, and mental health impacts. This course equips therapists with neurodivergent-affirming tools to recognize overlooked traits, support autistic clients, and foster self-understanding. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT...

Dr. Tamora Callands, PsyD, examines intimacy across emotional, physical, and social domains to help clinicians better conceptualize its complexities, providing a framework for understanding intimacy’s interplay with attachment, boundaries, and vulnerability to support client growth. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membershi...

Elder abuse expert E. Penny Jacobo, LCSW, shares key insights on identifying, addressing, and preventing elder abuse. This episode covers its forms, the role of Adult Protective Services, and clinicians’ legal and ethical reporting duties. Earn CE credit for listening to this episode by joining our low-cost membership for unlimited podcast CE credits for an entire year, with some of the strongest...

Helen Bennett explains the profound mental health impacts of the menopause transition, from hormonal shifts to emotional and cognitive challenges. This podcast equips therapists with practical tools, including CBT, lifestyle interventions, and insights into hormone replacement therapy, to better support clients navigating this transformative life stage. Interview with Elizabeth Irias, LMFT.Earn CE...