What Brought You Here Today?

Join Ryanne Mellick and Amanda Ferrari, a Chicago-based social worker and couples therapist, as they explore the complexities of politics, relationships, and collective trauma. This episode offers insights into managing personal beliefs in therapy, navigating political differences in couples, and maintaining mental health amidst societal upheaval. Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context Setting 05...

In this episode, Ryanne speaks with Vanessa, a licensed professional clinical counselor specializing in trauma, somatic experiencing, EMDR, and anchored relational network. They explore the impact of recent collective trauma in Minneapolis, addressing how individuals can support themselves and their community through somatic practices and trauma-informed approaches. Chapters 00:00 - Introduction a...

In this heartfelt conversation, Krysteena Wilson shares her personal journey through fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, and the impact of reproductive rights on her life. The discussion highlights the importance of compassion, gray areas in complex issues, and finding meaning in adversity. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Christina Wilson 07:08 Navigating Family Planning and Fertility Challenges...

In this episode, Ryanne and Julia discuss the intricacies of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), exploring Julia's journey from marketing to becoming a DBT therapist. They delve into the structure and components of DBT, including group and individual therapy, the importance of skills training, and the challenges therapists face in maintaining boundaries. Julia shares her experiences with clien...

In this episode, Ryanne Mellick speaks with Michelle Ferrel, a licensed social worker, about the sensitive topic of pregnancy loss and miscarriage. They discuss the statistics surrounding miscarriage, the mental health impacts on individuals and couples, and the importance of somatic approaches to healing. Michelle shares insights on navigating the path to trying again after a loss, societal press...

In this conversation, Ryanne Mellick, LPCC and Maggie Duret, LPCC delve into the complexities of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), discussing its misconceptions, the importance of accurate diagnosis, and the various evidence-based treatments available. They explore the nuances of perinatal and postpartum OCD, as well as scrupulosity, a form of OCD related to moral and religious concerns. Maggie...

In this conversation, Dr. Jenna Brownfield discusses the challenges LGBTQ+ individuals face when dealing with homophobia and transphobia from family members. The discussion covers the impact of the political climate on family dynamics, the emotional toll of pretending everything is fine, and the complexities surrounding estrangement. Dr. Brownfield emphasizes the importance of open communication,...

Most women with ADHD are diagnosed later in life—often mistaken for anxiety or depression. Lindsey shares how hormonal shifts during pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause make symptoms worse and reveal hidden challenges. If you've ever felt overwhelmed and wondered why your attention or emotional regulation suddenly spirals, this episode is your essential guide to understanding the unique ways...

Most of us feel helpless when facing climate anxiety, but what if simpler, accessible practices could transform despair into hope—and even spark collective action? Dr. Carson Brown reveals how grounding ourselves in gratitude, embracing grief, and taking small, intentional steps can reignite your connection to the planet and your community. If you're overwhelmed by eco-anxiety or stuck in feel...

Join me as I sit down with Erin to discuss all things Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Erin has received extensive training in exposure and response prevention therapy from multiple well-known experts in the field, and has several years of experience treating OCD and related disorders. Having OCD herself, Erin has a unique ability to connect with her clients. She uses creativity and an open se...

Ryanne and Samantha discuss using affirmations and journaling to help manage mental health, the value of building therapeutic rapport with your therapist, and much more! Links for Samantha: Follow Samantha on Instagram Links for Ryanne:  ⁠⁠⁠Follow Ryanne on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a guest on the podcast ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Schedule in Minnesota with Ryanne⁠⁠ - Learn more about Ryanne here! ⁠

Ryanne sits down with Candace to talk about all things Play Therapy. Tune in to learn more about play therapy, the importance of play, and how we can continue to model and support our children. Candace Rutkowski is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor™. She is a Certified FirstPlay® Infant Play Therapy Practitioner and a Certified AutPlay® Therapy Pra...

Ryanne and Amanda sit down (for a second time!) to do a deep dive on trauma and the value or worry time. Amanda has such great insight into trauma and all things mental health. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did while recording. Links for Amanda: Follow Amanda on Instagram Learn more about Amanda Links for Ryanne:  ⁠⁠⁠Follow Ryanne on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a guest on the podcast...

Ryanne sits down with Alex, an aspiring Marriage & Family Therapist, to discuss the importance of repair, raising kids, and screen time! Alex Loomis is an aspiring Marriage and Family Therapist working in private practice practice. He is also a full-time single father who constantly faces the challenges of responsibilities and self-care. Part of his motivation for this career change was to gai...

Ryanne and Sheridan discuss life transitions and DNA surprises in this episode. Sheridan graciously shares her personal experience with a DNA surprise and how that has transformed her life and her work as a therapist. TW: Suicide is mentioned at 8 minutes and 17 minutes. Links for Sheridan: Learn more about Sheridan and Sliding Doors Counseling Follow Sliding Doors Counseling on Instagram Links fo...

Brooke and I are back at it on today's episode and we are doing a deep dive on boundaries. If you struggle with boundaries, this conversation is for sure one that you are going to want to take some notes from. Links for Brooke: Follow Brooke on IG Learn more about and schedule with her here Links for Ryanne:  ⁠⁠⁠Follow Ryanne on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a guest on the podcast ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Schedule i...

Tune in as Laura breaks down trauma and provides a different perspective on how we view trauma. We talk about finding a good therapist, how life events change us, and how traumatic events impact us. Links for Laura: Learn more about Laura and Schedule with her here! Links for Ryanne:  ⁠⁠⁠Follow Ryanne on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a guest on the podcast ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Schedule in Minnesota with Ryanne⁠⁠...

Listen in as Amber and I kick off Season 3 of What Brought You Here Today. We talk about the perinatal experience, parenthood, spending intentional time with kids when you might not fully enjoy it, and maintaining your relationship after babies. Links for Amber: Follow Amber on Instagram Learn more about Amber here Links for Ryanne:  ⁠⁠⁠Follow Ryanne on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a guest on the...

TW: diet culture and eating disorders. Liana and I kicked this episode off trying to explain how our names our pronounced when the spelling doesn’t line up and then we got into all the topics today from body image, food and eating habits, and our favorite topic - reality tv. What a FUN conversation to have with one of my favorite trauma therapists; I hope you all enjoy it! Follow Liana on IG Links...

On today’s episode, I sit down with Jessica of Bloom Well Therapy and talk about all things perinatal mental health. She is a wealth of knowledge and drops some really important reminders that all parents can use in our journey. She is passionate about this topic and provides so much support to those of us who are struggling with managing mental health pre- and post-partum. Please take care while...

TW: Infertility. Abbie and I talk about mental health, infidelity, finding the joy in reading and entering our romance novel era, and the not so likelihood of messing up our kids. She shares some of her struggles with infertility and how she found her joy through Instagram, content creation, and managing her mental health. This was such a great conversation and I hope you all enjoy it. Links for A...

#17 The title says it all! On today’s episode, I sit down with Jess & Karly, the hosts of Typical Tuesday Night: A Taylor Swift Podcast. And this episode is SO juicy and good. We talk about the intersection between mental health and music, Taylor and her reputation, the post-Era’s concert come down, and Travis. I hope this episode takes you out of your down bad and brings back your Miss Americ...

#16 On this episode Anne-Kenya and I talk about the influence and impacts that our culture and parents have on mental health, her work with immigrants, veterans, and people with disabilities, and the importance of trust in the therapeutic relationship. I am so grateful to Anne-Kenya for sharing her experiences and hope that you all enjoy our conversation.  Links for Anne-Kenya: Follow Anne-Kenya o...

#15 On today’s episode, I sat down with Jeana, a marriage and family therapist specializing in couples work. Jeana and I talk about the Gottman Method, reading the book for fun, attachment, and many other topics. Please take care while listening. Links for Jeana: Learn more about Jeana here Follow Jeana on IG Links for Ryanne:  ⁠⁠⁠Follow Ryanne on Instagram ⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Apply to be a guest on the podcas...

On today’s episode, I sat down with Angela, a counseling psychology graduate student and yoga teacher from Wisconsin. Angela and I talked about her non-traditional route to finding her career path, hitting rock bottom, finding your self-worth, and the benefits of a breakdown. There is a very brief mention of suicidality at 16 minutes into this podcast and Angela talks about how her thoughts change...