Transforming Trauma

High control religion is rarely one big wound. It is closer to death by a thousand paper cuts that add up to complex trauma for many people."- Laura Anderson   On this episode of Transforming Trauma, Emily Ruth welcomes Dr. Laura Anderson for a compassionate exploration of religious trauma, its impacts, and the nuanced paths toward healing. Drawing from her personal journey and clinical experience...

"Sometimes children have to disconnect from their hearts just to survive." - Kelly Cook   On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth welcomes school social worker Kelly Cook for an open-hearted exploration of healing and connection with children, teens, and families facing adversity. Kelly shares how her lifelong sensitivity to those on the margins, shaped by early experiences of comp...

"Trauma can be a gateway for transformation, and it's one of the things that I am passionate about." – Abi Blakeslee On this episode of Transforming Trauma, host Emily Ruth sits down with Dr. Abi Blakeslee, a leader in the field of trauma recovery and somatic psychology recognized for her clinical research and teaching. Dr. Blakeslee shares her deep exploration of implicit memory—the non-conscious...

"Our greatest hope is that NARM® can lead to increasing opportunities for connection, healing, and transformation." - Brad Kammer   On this episode of Transforming Trauma, Stephanie Klein is joined by Brad Kammer, Training Director at the Complex Trauma Training Center, to discuss the newly released workbook for healing developmental trauma—an accessible resource distilling the core principles and...

"The work we do is meaningful, sometimes difficult, but it's the best work to do." - Dr. David Puder On this episode of Transforming Trauma, Emily Ruth welcomes psychiatrist and psychotherapist Dr. David Puder to explore the clinical realities of complex trauma and the slow, often gritty path toward healing. Drawing on decades of hospital and outpatient experience, Dr. Puder offers candor and prac...

Trauma isn't just an event—it's a complex, living pattern woven through our bodies, minds, and relationships. What if the path to healing isn't about breaking down defenses or pushing past resistance, but about honoring those very protections as parts of our whole self?   Shai Lavie's journey illuminates this radical shift. As a Hakomi and Somatic Experiencing therapist, Shai learned that trauma w...

Chances are, you may be familiar with Dr. Judith Lewis Herman, the legendary psychiatrist, researcher, teacher, and author. Five decades into her esteemed career, Dr. Herman continues to produce innovative work in sexual trauma and Complex PTSD. But you might not know Judith Herman, the daughter, mother, grandmother, and activist. On this episode of Transforming Trauma , Emily Ruth is honored to w...

At the core of Jungian psychology lies the concept of individuation, a lifelong journey of growing into one's whole self. It's a process of self-discovery that can feel both inspiring and challenging as each layer of inauthenticity or protective strategy surfaces, then sloughs away. One therapist combines her Jungian background with NARM's spirit of inquiry to help her clients embrace the nature o...

On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily Ruth invites Alexander Vesely, award-winning documentary filmmaker, psychotherapist, and the grandson of Dr. Viktor Frankl, to share anecdotes about his grandfather and the evolution of Logotherapy.  The pair recalls Viktor's deportation to a Nazi concentration camp and his heartbreaking experiences there. The devastation eventually informed Vikt...

In this special Transforming Trauma series, we will be exploring the "origin stories" of influential therapists. These episodes offer a rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain and understand what inspired these therapists to pursue healing work, and how they have brought their life experiences into their professional work, impacting and inspiring many people along the way. By learning from sea...

In this special Transforming Trauma series, we are exploring the "origin stories" of influential therapists. These episodes offer a rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain and understand what inspired these therapists to pursue healing work - and how they have brought their life experiences into their professional work, impacting and inspiring many people along the way. By learning from season...

In this special Transforming Trauma series, we will be exploring the "origin stories" of influential therapists. These episodes offer a rare opportunity to peek behind the curtain and understand what inspired these therapists to pursue healing work - and how they have brought their life experiences into their professional work, impacting and inspiring many people along the way.  By learning from s...

Meditation is a practice that intimidates many people. Silence, coupled with the act of observing rather than acting, often evokes emotions such as despair and loneliness. But what if we applied the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM©) to the experience of meditative silence? On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily Ruth is in conversation with Alli Malnik, a NARM-trained mental heal...

Many graduate students in psychology, counseling, and social work struggle to find their theoretical and clinical footing. As graduate students get closer to graduation, many feel under-prepared and ill-equipped to provide effective therapy to clients. Despite the differences between training in a depth-oriented model like NARM and studying traditional coursework required for a clinical degree, on...

For women exiting the US correctional system, support is limited while the hurdles set in front of them seem endless. The post-carceral ecosystem is changing, however, bolstered by nonprofits that elevate rather than penalize people for their time served. On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily Ruth welcomes Samantha Garcia Pennell, Manager of Workforce Partnerships at Arouet Foundatio...

While most clinicians are seeking effective clinical skills to bring back to their clients, NARM® therapists are often surprised to experience such profound personal transformation for themselves through training in NARM. In learning more about themselves and their own healing process, the result is a better understanding of their client's healing process. Self-discovery can be a vehicle toward pe...

Many of us hold the convenient belief that we possess a single identity. Dr. Richard Schwartz began challenging the flatness of that assumption in the early 1980s. His curiosity led to the creation of the Internal Family Systems Model (IFS), which recognizes the role of internal "parts" or subpersonalities that resemble a family structure.  Forty years later, Dick continues to expand on the model,...

Narcissists have a canny ability to repackage traits like arrogance, self-importance, and a lack of empathy and sell them as charm, intelligence, or sensitivity. This "playbook" of calculated behaviors allows them to avoid detection and continue manipulating close relations or entire groups. On this episode of Transforming Trauma , CTTC Director and NARM® Senior Trainer Brad Kammer welcomes Mark V...

For all its popularity as a talking point, shame remains one of the least-documented human emotions.  On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily Ruth is pleased to welcome back Dr. Laurence Heller, Ph. D., author, international trainer, and creator of the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®). The pair discuss the psychology of shame and its significant role in protecting attachments (...

For many mental health professionals, exploration into a client's relationship with spirituality is often left out or actively avoided.  Could honest and open discussions about a client's spiritual perspective help them reconnect to themselves and others while also alleviating their symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression? On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily Ruth is honored to...

One of the many consequences of complex trauma is a loss of self-confidence leading to self-doubt and difficulty trusting in one's intuition. On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily Ruth invites international speaker, author, and resident psychiatrist Dr. Samra Zafar to share her inspirational journey from an isolated teen bride to a courageous, intuitive, and powerful agent of change....

Within psychology, there is an ongoing debate about the relationship between complex trauma and personality. Developed by Dr. James Masterson, the Masterson Approach focuses on the development of personality, and introduced innovative treatment for schizoid, narcissistic and borderline personality disorders. On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily Ruth welcomes Dr. William Griffith, Di...

Living an authentic life has always required a fair amount of courage. But the online world has created an environment in which targeted intimidation and persecution are accepted, and even encouraged too often. Virtual bullying is especially vicious when directed at folks with marginalized identities. One woman has worked hard to thrive online and off, despite the risks involved.  On this episode...

On this episode of Transforming Trauma , CTTC Director and NARM® Senior Trainer Brad Kammer welcomes psychologist, author, and trainer Steven Kessler, MFT, to discuss the role that personality patterns play in our communication styles and how those patterns impact our relationships.  The pair delve into the origins of these patterns and the unconscious "safety" tactics associated with each. Brad a...

Grief is a natural response to loss that all of us will encounter. For all its universality, however, our society has grown increasingly grief-adverse and avoidant. One grief specialist relies on her NARM® training to reacquaint clients with their agency. In doing so, she invites their sorrow to coexist with curiosity, compassion, and gentleness. On this episode of Transforming Trauma , host Emily...