Ask Kati Anything

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton welcomes keynote speaker and bestselling author Ginny Priem to discuss the heavy toll of over-functioning and the path to reclaiming your identity. Ginny shares her powerful Unsubscribe Framework, a tool designed to help you filter out the noise and set firm boundaries in both your professional and personal li...

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton addresses why the healing process often feels more overwhelming after a breakthrough or a new diagnosis. We dive deep into the complexities of adult autism, the physical "freeze" response caused by trauma shame, and the frustration of feeling like your mental health journey has stalled. Kati also shares her pe...

She caught herself mid-sentence and realized it wasn't her voice. It was her mother's. This episode is about the patterns you inherited without knowing it, the ones running your parenting, your relationships, and the way you talk to yourself right now. Kati sits down with JoAnn Crohn, parenting educator and founder of No Guilt Mom, for a conversation that starts with mom guilt and lands somewhere...

Struggling with treatment-resistant depression or trying to recover from narcissistic parents and a lost sense of identity? In this episode, Katie Morton, LMFT, explores advanced mental health treatments and provides a roadmap for healing from complicated family dynamics. Whether you are dealing with "sticky memories," navigating a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, or looking for ways to manage...

If you feel like your therapist is speaking a foreign language when they talk about "stability" or "trust," this video is for you. We break down the specific requirements for starting trauma-focused work like EMDR and why your brain might be "pulling the ripcord" through dissociation. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers: • Zocdoc:...

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...

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 "silen...

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 misunderstoo...

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 250,0...

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 thos...

Eating disorder shapeshifting explained, therapy dissociation tips, no contact with adult child response, self-acceptance after weight gain, feeling unseen or outcast, skin picking dermatillomania, broken UK NHS mental health system, social anxiety in sessions, neurodivergent experiences, body image struggles, anxiety after injury, DSM vs ICD-11 differences, parasocial relationships advice. Licens...

Whether you are struggling with depression, addiction, or seeking motivation, Justin’s story is a roadmap for anyone feeling lost in the dark. "I was the youngest heavyweight in the country, and I was losing the only fight that mattered." In this powerful episode Kati speaks with Justin Wren for a raw conversation on mental health, resilience, and the recovery journey. Justin pulls back the curtai...

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton addresses eight deeply personal mental health questions from the community. From navigating chronic suicidal ideation to coping with hearing voices while trying to study, Kati provides clinical insight with compassion and practical guidance. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please ch...

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 waitress...

What if your best days haven't even happened yet? In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, I’m joined by the incredible Amy Edwards—CEO, author, and host of The Amy Edwards Show. At 53, Amy is the happiest she’s ever been, but getting here required walking through some of life’s darkest valleys. We dive deep into the messy, complicated, and ultimately beautiful process of transformation. Amy opens up...

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed therapist Kati Morton, LMFT, dives into the complex intersection of social media and mental health. We explore how to protect yourself from "rage-bait" and identity-driven outrage while still using platforms productively. Kati also breaks down the vital differences between flashbacks and hallucinations, the ethics of acting out trauma in therapy, and...

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 of...

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...

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 addicti...

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 be...

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed therapist Kati Morton sits down with Tone It Up co-founder and New York Times bestselling author Karena Dawn for a deeply personal conversation about trauma, resilience, and reclaiming one's narrative. Karena opens up to Kati about her "decade of darkness," sharing what it was like growing up with a mother living with paranoid schizophrenia and the em...

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, we dive deep into the complex and often unspoken corners of mental health recovery. We explore the psychology behind why some individuals experience persistent suicidal thoughts without the intent to act and discuss strategies for navigating friendships that inadvertently trigger eating disorder relapses or competition. I also open up about the ethics of plast...

Barbara Dunkelman is here to chat about her incredible journey from being a fan to being the voice of Rooster Teeth’s Yang Xiao Long on RWBY. She opens up about the company's unexpected closure, dealing with planning a wedding, and finding relief in a major life change. This deep-dive covers the pressure of chasing trends and the truth about self-worth outside of analytics. We also explore profoun...

In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Kati Morton tackles the core question: Why Do I Feel So Behind? when it seems Everyone Else Seems to Have It Together. We dive deep into the psychological struggles of comparison, isolation, and overcoming trauma. We also address the debilitating internal experience: Are You Experiencing Complex PTSD? and provide clarity...

In this deeply honest episode of Ask Kati Anything, guest Jared Craft shares valuable insights into overcoming his ego, financial fears, and the lifelong work of surrendering control. Jared opens up about his journey through addiction and recovery - He details how growing up closeted in a conservative town fostered a deep-seated need for external validation and people-pleasing. He discusses his co...