The Couch Next Door

Is there something in your life that you want to change?  Does this something have too much control over how you want to live your life?  This episode with Abby Venegas encourages us to begin to get curious about parts of our life that take up too much space and control so that we can begin to change those patterns.  I love this conversation with Abby because it’s not only relatable but it’s inspi...

Faith is a personal part of someone’s life, yet how many times do we find ourselves judging the personal belief system of someone else?  Belief systems can shift and change within a lifetime.  My friend Donna is talking about the process she is in of untangling her faith.  She first explains her origin of faith and also the questions she asked herself throughout various seasons that had her questi...

No one gives us a manual on child raising.  As parents, we really try to do the best we can.  Play therapy is one way we can deepen the relationship with our children especially when we sense they may be struggling.  Grace Mascari is a Licensed Professional Therapist and Registered Play Therapist.  She came on the show to educate us on play therapy, her role as a therapist in a family’s life, and...

Charlie Stern is joining me today with a unique perspective as a kid of a divorce.  Charlie was 19 when his parents divorced.  On today’s episode he looks back as an observer of his parents going through difficult seasons within their marriage that ultimately resulted in the marriage ending.  He encourages parents and older kids on how to take care of each other well during this sort of loss withi...

Entering into midlife is not quite as glamorous as other seasons and also not quite as talked about.  My new friend, Nicole Studt, is here to talk to us all about this season of life–how to prepare for it, how to embrace it, and how to love someone in it.   Be sure to follow Nicole on instagram @nicolestudt so you don’t miss her announcements on the release of her podcast: The Marvelous Middle Age...

Dealing with a loss is never easy.  My friend Ashley has experienced loss after loss after loss.  Listen in as Ashley retells her journey losing her father, her sister and enduring numerous miscarriages in a matter of months.  Listening to stories like Ashley’s reminds me how resilient the human spirit can be.  I’m grateful for her vulnerability and the processing she has done to hold space for he...

Getting the most accurate mental health diagnosis that helps guide you to the best treatment is not usually an easy task.  The time and frustration that it takes to go through the process can leave some people feeling hopeless.  My friend Randall King opens up about what it’s been like to get the proper diagnosis for Borderline Personality Disorder and the steps that have been really helpful in hi...

We’re wrapping up Season 1 with the second part of episode 11 with my husband, Jason!  He is finishing his recap of every episode of season 1 and talking about his takeaways.  He also shares a little bit about his own mental health journey with us.  Be sure to listen to part 1 before jumping into part 2.  Putting a close to season 1 means it’s time to share this show with someone that has never li...

Season 1 recap is here with my husband, Jason!  Jason not only gives us his takeaways from each episode but he also talks about what it’s like to be married to a therapist, as well as shares a little bit about his own mental health journey.  It is such a treat to share this conversation with you all.   Be sure to listen in on part 2 that will be released tomorrow!  Subscribe to the show so you don...

It's a BONUS release! I'm dropping an episode of Wild & Waste with Jess & Kate in the feed today.  On this episode of one of my favorite new podcasts, you get to hear Kate talk about her mental health journey and you’ll also get an idea of how beautifully chaotic and funny this show is.  Subscribe to their show so you don't miss their new releases!  And go give them a rating...

Grieving a loss is a journey.  My new podcast friend, Jess Kearns of the show Wild & Waste with Jess & Kate is on today’s episode walking us through her journey of grieving the loss of her Dad.  Grief is such a personal experience and Jess was so generous to share what this experience has been like for her and also gives advice to the person that is loving someone walking through a loss. ...

This episode is a Q&A show covering topics like play therapy, insurance, and therapists’ POV of clients.  We cover a lot of ground here. My Mom is here to co-host with me as I answer questions I received from Instagram.  I mention in the episode, therapy is hard and tricky at times, but most of all it takes courage to step into therapy work and therapists are honored to be invited into our cli...

Amy Saenz is on this episode talking all about self compassion.  Practicing self compassion takes work.  Acknowledging our feelings first, helps us then to know how we can extend compassion to ourselves.  Amy has so many encouraging things to share with us today about what she learned to do for herself and also what she wants others to be able to do for themselves.  Follow me on instagram (@candic...

This episode with my friend Steve Johnson focuses on toxic masculinity in the military.  For clarification, Steve isn’t speaking on behalf of the US military or as a representative of the Texas Military Department, he is only sharing his experience and observations to help others feel encouraged and less alone when it comes to the negative effects of toxic masculinity.  Toxic masculinity can be fo...

How often do intrusive or negative thoughts take charge of your feelings, your perspective, and your life?  My friend Grace is joining me today and we’re talking all about how to fight against those pesky intrusive thoughts.   I just love her spirit and enthusiasm.  It’s contagious!  She has so much to share about how to take control of our thoughts that you might need a pen and paper to jot down...

This episode is all about the self discovery journey with my friend Brittany Holmstrom.  Whether you have barriers to attending therapy or just want to get to know yourself a little better, my friend Brittany walks us through what she has discovered about herself and how she has used this information to grow and improve herself in her world.  I’ve included additional resources to give you a starti...

On this episode I’m talking to my friend Leilani Anderson.  We are talking all about mental health in an elementary school setting.  Leilani is a first grade teacher and she has a variety of perspectives to share as a mother of 4 and a full time teacher.  You’re not going to want to miss what Leilani says helps her to stay in the profession and I believe it will be an encouragement for parents and...

My friend Erin is joining me today!  One thing I love about Erin is her sense of humor.  Don’t sleep on the beginning stories she shares about being a Municipal Court Prosecutor and her rant about PTA fundraising.     Erin graciously volunteered to share her trauma story related to the birth of her first child.  Erin talks through her experience with childbirth and the aftermath of caring for a ne...

On today’s episode I am talking to my friend, Vanessa Queen.  Vanessa has a family member that lives with mental health struggles.  Vanessa has worked hard on finding ways to navigate this relationship in a way that works well for her and I believe her experience will be an encouragement for those also walking through loving someone with mental health struggles.   One of my favorite things about V...

On this episode I’m talking to my unbiological sister, Laura Hatfield.  Laura and I have known each other since we were 2 years old (so 38 years to be exact).  We talk about friendship–what it’s like to have a lifelong friendship, a long distance friendship, and she shares how her friends have helped her through some hardships in her life.  Laura also shares what was not helpful as she went throug...

The Couch Next Door is a podcast where a happy hour meets a therapy session.  Each episode is hosted by Candice Fraser, a licensed professional counselor, and she will invite friends to come discuss an area of mental health that is impacting their world.  Just like a happy hour, there will be a lot of laughter and talk about normal, everyday life things, but deeper questions on mental health topic...