Both Sides of the Couch

Send us Fan Mail What if the expectation for women to shave their body hair was never about hygiene, beauty, or personal preference but about shame, capitalism, and whose gaze we've been taught to perform for? In this episode, Kari explores the cultural history of women's body hair removal through three lenses: as a woman, as someone living with chronic illness, and as a therapist. From...

Send us Fan Mail  In this Small Thoughts, Big Feelings mini, Kari reflects on noise sensitivity. From vertigo triggered by sound to the sudden anger that comes with repeating yourself or speaking louder, this episode explores how sensory overload shows up in the body. Support the show Thanks for listening to Both Sides of the Couch ! If something you heard today resonated, share the episode or lea...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, I explain why I don’t offer free consultation calls and why that decision is grounded in ethics, safety, and respect for therapeutic labor. I unpack the myth of the “quick 15-minute call,” why it almost always turns into unpaid therapy adjacent work, and the very real risks of engaging in clinical conversations without informed consent. I talk openly about mandate...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari reflects on a small, ordinary moment that sparked a much bigger realization about imbalance in relationships. Through the lens of a therapist, a chronically ill person, and a friend who often gives more than she receives, she explores what it feels like to be emotionally capable yet quietly unsupported. Kari unpacks how emotional c...

Send us Fan Mail  In this mini episode, Kari shares a funny moment about an HSA statement that turns into a reflection on invisible labor, chronic illness, and why some parts of life are hard to explain even to the people who love us.  For information on health savings accounts, check out these links: https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/health-savings-account-hsa/ https://www.healthcare.gov/high-d...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 13, Kari explores a deeply familiar tension for people living with chronic illness: being told “don’t overdo it.” While often well-intentioned, Kari explains how this phrase can feel controlling, dismissive, and painful, especially for people who already live with constant limitation and loss. This episode is not about ignoring consequences or denying the reality of chr...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 12, Kari explores the therapy of nature and how time outdoors can support people living with chronic illness, pain, fatigue, and nervous system dysregulation.  Kari begins the episode by reflecting on a familiar moment in nature, using sensory details to model what it means to slow down and simply be present outdoors.  Kari reflects on how nature offers something rare i...

Send us Fan Mail In Episode 11, Kari explores a major but surprisingly under discussed scientific breakthrough: the creation of a cellular atlas of the human ovary, recognized as one of the most important discoveries of 2024. Kari explains why this research is long overdue, given the historic underfunding and neglect of women’s health and the health of people with ovaries. She begins by naming an...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Kari says she wants to shine light on an uncomfortable but very real issue in the mental health field: sexual harassment toward therapists. She explains that although it’s shockingly common, therapists rarely receive training on how to talk about it, which leaves many clinicians feeling isolated, ashamed, or unsure of how to respond. Kari says she was inspired to...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari explores the surprising fear and guilt that can surface when chronic illness symptoms finally ease. After years of struggle, she’s experiencing real relief thanks to a new medication, and discovering that feeling better isn’t as simple as it sounds. She dives into the emotional complexity of healing , explaining how our brains crav...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Kari challenges the deeply ingrained belief that our worth is tied to productivity, a mindset rooted in internalized capitalism, where value is measured by hustle, output, and efficiency. She shares a personal story about a physical breaking point that forced her to face her chronic illness and reevaluate the drive to constantly “push through.” Kari explores how t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch, Kari pulls back the curtain on the business behind therapist directories, from her own experience leaving Psychology Today to uncovering what really happened with Therapy Den after its founder sold it. She shares her firsthand story of how therapist listings became big business: pay-to-play exposure models, low compensation for writers,...

Send us Fan Mail In the very first episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari, a therapist, writer, and human navigating chronic illness, introduces the heart behind her new podcast: bridging her professional insight with her personal reality. She opens up about her dual roles as therapist and patient, and how living with chronic illness has reshaped the way she works, connects, and finds balance....

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari dives into a rarely discussed topic: what happens when the therapist has to cancel. From both the professional and human sides, she explores the guilt, boundaries, and grace wrapped up in letting people down, even when it’s unavoidable. Kari shares two deeply personal stories: the first time she ever had to cancel sessions due to s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari opens up about the unseen emotional and physical toll of holding space for others while managing her own chronic illness. She shares how, early in her private-practice career, she began noticing deep exhaustion, not just from long therapy hours, but from the intensity of listening, empathizing, and carrying others’ pain while maski...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari unpacks the often sneaky onset of burnout,  not just as a therapist, but as a human living with chronic illness. She shares how her definition of “enough” has evolved from grinding through nine clients a day to creating sustainable balance with a four-client maximum. Kari reflects on how burnout doesn’t always announce itself with...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari gets honest about imperfection,  the kind therapists aren’t always allowed to show. She explores what it means to make mistakes in the therapy room, how she recognizes when she’s missed the mark, and why taking responsibility strengthens rather than damages relationships. Kari shares her own experiences of acknowledging errors with...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Both Sides of the Couch , Kari explores one of her favorite topics,  boundaries,  through both a therapist’s and a chronically ill person’s lens. She reflects on how the body sometimes enforces limits long before the mind does, especially when chronic pain, fatigue, or stress make “pushing through” impossible. Kari shares how she’s learned to honor physical boun...