The Empowered Through Compassion Podcast

In this episode, I sit down with Stacy Ruse, LPC, a visionary therapist and consultant who beautifully integrates EMDR with Internal Family Systems (IFS), weaving in somatic and spiritual practices. Stacy describes how the structured brilliance of EMDR provides a foundation for trauma healing, while the soulful depth of IFS brings creativity, compassion, and transformative energy into the process....

In this heartful and energizing conversation, we sit down with the incredible Natalie Deering—therapist, podcast host, IFS practitioner, and authenticity advocate—to explore the beautiful intersections between healing, creativity, and connection. Natalie shares the story of how she first discovered Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and how it’s become not just a modality but a life practice. W...

In this episode of Empowered through Compassion, we dive into the heart of relational healing with Maureen Bethea and Christina Frank—two dynamic Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists who specialize in EMDR intensives for couples. With decades of experience, they offer a trauma-informed, attachment-centered approach that helps partners not only heal past wounds, but also rediscover one another t...

What if healing doesn’t come from expertise, but from empathy? In this transformative conversation, David Polidi sits down with internationally renowned Motivational Interviewing trainer Stephen Andrew to explore what it really means to be present with someone in their pain. Stephen challenges the dominant medical model of mental health—assess, diagnose, and treat—and offers instead a radically hu...

🎙️ New Episode: Healing Trauma, Dismantling Whiteness, and Building Community with David Archer Welcome back to Empowered Through Compassion. You won’t want to miss this powerful and deeply inspiring episode. Today, I sit down with David Archer, Today, I sit down with David Archer, the author of Anti-Racist Psychotherapy, an EMDR therapy trainer and complex/racial trauma specialist from Montreal C...

This heart-warming episode begins with Laura sharing a tender story about baking bread—and from there, we journey into the rich, soulful themes of her new book. We explore Internal Family Systems (IFS), the sacred essence of everyday life, and the profound connection between healing trauma, cultivating presence, and embodying wholeness. Together, we reflect on the beauty and challenge of truly bei...

What if Mike White’s The White Lotus is more than just a dark comedy television series? What if we look at it as a striking exploration of the human psyche? In a recent episode of the Empowered Through Compassion podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sunni (Sun) Brown, a dynamic IFS practitioner, author of Gamestorming and The Doodle Revolution, and creator of Deep Self Design™. Together, w...

This week’s episode is nothing short of extraordinary. I am honored to welcome back IFS master Bob Falconer, and to be joined for the first time by Chelsea Rose Odhner and Dr. Jonathan S. Rose, two deeply insightful scholars and practitioners of Emanuel Swedenborg’s spiritual teachings. Together, we explore the sacred intersection of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and The Spirituality of Swedenborg...

In this episode, we explore a powerful and often overlooked therapeutic trio: EMDR, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Motivational Interviewing (MI). If you’ve ever wondered how to help clients move from ambivalence to meaningful change—or how to make EMDR feel more relational and intuitive—this is the conversation for you. The Common Ground: Self-Leadership & Intrinsic Wisdom What ties IFS,...

In this deeply meaningful episode, I had the honor of speaking with Ralph De La Rosa—teacher, healer, and radiant soul—who sadly passed away earlier this week. This episode is a tribute to Ralph’s immense heart and the wisdom they so generously shared with the world. We explored the profound intersections of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Buddhism, and I was struck by Ralph’s grace, clarity, an...

Part 2 with Julian: The Inner Sauron – Power, Possession, and the Psyche In this episode, Julian and I dive deep into The Lord of the Rings through the lens of psychology, mythology, and IFS (Internal Family Systems). We explore the dark allure of Sauron—not just as a villain seeking domination through the One Ring, but as a metaphor for the exiled forces within us all. Julian draws powerful paral...

It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Julian Bermudez, founder of Psychedelic Integration , about his deeply personal and powerful approach to healing. In this episode, Julian shares his philosophy of psychedelic integration as a sacred return—a coming home to the body, to the heart, and to the version of ourselves that existed before life’s pain forced us to adapt. Through his lived experienc...

I'm excited to share the latest episode of the Empowered Through Compassion podcast: Part 2 of my conversation with Sid Friedman. In this episode, we delve deeper into Sid's innovative approach to Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and his exploration of nonduality. Sid discusses his YouTube channel, Effortless IFS with Sid Friedman, where he offers insights into integrating IFS with nondual aw...

This episode is part 1 of a beautiful conversation with my dear friend Sid Friedman. Sid-- along with Laura Patryas-- have created an incredible IFS Facebook community called "IFS Nondual Community." Sid shares with me, and the audience, what is meant by nonduality, and how this intersects with IFS. We also speak about NVC-- Nonviolent Communication, and I learn what a pro Sid is in this type of c...

Families Overcoming Trauma – This Is Us NBC’s This Is Us has resonated deeply with audiences, largely because of its heartfelt portrayal of family, trauma, and healing. The show masterfully illustrates how each family member carries their own pain while remaining connected through love, resilience, and acceptance. It reminds us that healing isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about learning to live...

Welcome to this episode, where I am thrilled to be speaking with Athena Phillips about dissociation, the difference between coaching and therapy, and Back to the Future.  Athena shares how IFS and EMDR can be complementary, but caution is needed when using EMDR with dissociative clients. Coaching and therapy have distinct roles, and in her business Athena has found a very symbiotic relationship be...

Therapist Burnout – A Systemic Issue, Not a Personal Failure   🎬 Pop Culture Connection: Severance – A dystopian take on work-life balance How our ‘work part’ is at risk of burnout when it is not given the emotional support and care that it needs.   📊 Burnout by the Numbers: 60-66% of workers report feeling burnout 30-70% of therapists experience burnout (especially post-pandemic) Some exploitiv...

A re-uploaded version. Welcome to this new episode. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ned Johnson, a wonderful educator, author, and speaker. He is an expert in helping teens and tweens navigate the transition to adulthood, by bringing them the tools they need to be both successful and happy.  Ned has found that some of the leading causes of poor test performance is the stress and pressure that...

I had the honor of sitting down with the Jan Broberg on my podcast. We spoke about her powerful story, the real-life events behind Peacock’s hit series A Friend of the Family, and how she turned unimaginable trauma into a message of hope, resilience, and healing. Jan's spirit is inspiring, as she uses her voice and story to encourage others to tell theirs. This episode shows how light can come fro...

It was a pleasure to speak with Rebecca Kase this week on EMDR, Polyvagal and Parts work. She had so many interesting things to share, and I hope you enjoy this episode.   Warmly, David   Find out more about Rebecca here:   https://www.rebeccakase.com/   https://www.traumatherapistinstitute.com/   You can find her book here:      Books by Rebecca Kase              

Here is my second upload for this episode. My AI attempts were not successful, so I edited this one myself. Sorry for any confusion.   It was such a pleasure to speak with Victoria Anderson, a friend and classmate from IFS-Level one training. We speak about our experience, and then we compare it to... yep, the Squid Game. Luckily our experience was nothing like the Squid Game, except for some nerv...

In this episode, Andrew Dobo joins me to speak about EMDR, the Hero's journey and Jung. It was such an honor to have a conversation with Andrew who is a well respected EMDR trainer and an accomplished author.  His books include, "The Hero's Journey: Integrating Jungian Psychology and EMDR Therapy" and, "Unburdening Souls at the Speed of Thought: Psychology, Christianity, and the Transforming Power...

It was such an honor to speak with Sandra Paulsen, and to learn from her wisdom. In the podcast, Sandra shared how she went to see a traditional healer, known as a Songoma. This healer turned to Sandra and said, "Why come see me? You are Songoma too!" We dive into EMDR, and Sandra even shares some of her thoughts on IFS therapy. Sandra shared how she definitely uses parts work, but sees this throu...

On this episode we are speaking with Thomas Zimmerman, Ms. Ed., LPCC, is a mental health therapist who practices in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. He is an EMDR therapist, consultant and trainer. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapist, consultant, and trainer. He is a writer, podcaster as well. Check out his new book, "EMDR with Complex Trauma" on Amazon. Check out his Podcast...

Episode 51: Deconstructing Wicked with EMDR and Parts Welcome, and Happy Thanksgiving.  My guest is Dr. Jamie Marich, and we had so much fun "nerding out" over the Wicked movie together! This was such a wonderful and enriching experience for me. Here are places you can find more information about Dr. Marich: www.redefinetherapy.com www.instituteforcreativemindfulness.com www.jamiemarich.com You ca...