Human trafficking is often hidden in plain sight. In this episode of The Self Careapist Podcast, Dr. Dominique Roe-Sepowitz, professor at Arizona State University and director of multiple anti-trafficking programs, stops by to speak with Lorain about about identification, prevention, and care for sex trafficking victims and survivors.

Content Warning: This episode discusses human trafficking, sexual violence, and exploitation. Please listen with care.

This conversation explores the full arc of identification, prevention, and trauma-informed care for human trafficking victims. From validating survivor experiences and creating prevention programs with law enforcement, to treatment models designed for healing, Dominique shares both research and real-world strategies for working with this population.

You’ll learn:

• How to identify human trafficking victims using accurate, client-driven language
• Prevention strategies involving law enforcement, housing programs, and community partners
• Treatment approaches for sex trafficking victims, including the STAR Group, a CBT-based model for recovery
• Why clinicians should seek expertise beyond client sessions to avoid harm
• Strategies for therapist self-care and managing burnout when working with highly traumatized survivors

Why this matters

Supporting human trafficking survivors requires more than compassion—it demands knowledge, collaboration, and trauma-informed care. By focusing on identification, prevention, and treatment, clinicians and advocates can play a critical role in helping victims reclaim safety and dignity.

Resources:

Gale Dines

Ted Talk

Sex Trafficking Training Materials

Listen now for expert insights on human trafficking identification, prevention, and care plus practical tools you can use to support survivors.

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!

In this compelling episode of The Self Careapist Podcast, Dr. Maylin Griffiths, a clinical psychologist and founder of the Arizona Pediatric Assessment Center, joins Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, to demystify the misunderstood profile of Pathological Demand Avoidance/ Pervasive Drive for Autonomy (PDA).

Dr. Griffiths explains how PDA often hides behind misdiagnoses like ODD or ADHD and share actionable tips for therapists conducting assessments and collaborating with school systems. She emphasizes the role of curiosity in assessments and valuable resources for clinicians and families.

Notes:

• Curiosity drives effective assessment practices.
• Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) is a unique profile that requires specific strategies.
• Social strategies can be misinterpreted as manipulative behavior.
• Strengths of PDA kids include creativity and leadership skills.
• Collaboration among professionals is vital for comprehensive assessments.
• Shift from “manipulation” to “equalizing” when thinking about client behavior

Links:

Arizona Pediatric Assessment Center

Navigating PDA in America

PDA North America

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction to Assessment in Psychology
02:57 The Role of Assessments in Therapy
06:05 Understanding ODD and ADHD
08:56 Exploring Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
12:00 Key Components of PDA
14:58 Social Strategies and Coping Mechanisms
18:09 The Impact of Autonomy on Behavior
20:43 Role-Playing and Social Strategies
23:43 Fixation and Its Effects
25:46 Understanding PDA and Autism Profiles
28:23 Navigating Social Dynamics and Self-Identification
30:09 Strategies for Effective Communication
36:13 Managing Demands and Autonomy
39:24 The Role of Sensory Sensitivities
44:15 Strengths and Unique Abilities of PDA Kids
45:46 Resources for Clinicians and Families
47:45 The Importance of Collaborative Assessments

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!

In this episode, Lorain Moorehead sits down with Patricia Dobratz, JD, LMFT, a former prosecutor turned LMFT clinical supervisor, to explore ethical gray zones, common regulatory mistakes, and the evolving role of supervision in clinical practice. This episode offers insight into how to protect your license, your clients, and your professional growth whether you're a student, therapist, practice owner or in an adjacent profession. And highlights that often ethical missteps come from a lack of answers and supports rather than intention.

Patricia shares guidance on building systems that support ethical decisions, creating separation between administrative and clinical supervision, understanding licensing compacts, and the future of behavioral health.

Episode Highlights:

• [10:15] Ethical challenges in modern clinical practice
• [20:00] Support systems for clinicians and supervisors
• [30:00] The evolving role of clinical supervision
• [40:00] Future trends in behavioral health: AI, intensives & compacts
• [45:00] Documenting critical incidents to protect your license
• [50:00] Supervision as professional development, not just licensure
• [52:00] Lifelong learning, consultation, and avoiding stagnation

Resources Mentioned:

• Clinical Best Practice Institute
• Not Your Typical Therapy Conference
• NBCC CE's
• Lorain Moorehead’s Clinical Supervision & Consultation

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!

In this first solo episode of The Self Careapist Therapist Podcast, I'm diving into the treatment of high achievers and entrepreneurs and some of the common symptoms they may experience, including ADHD, depression, anxiety symptoms and imposter syndrome. I detail how Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing can be a helpful treatment modality, as well as the course of training to begin using EMDR as a therapist.

You’ll also hear how the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model rewires the brain to replace “I’m not enough” with a grounded sense of capability.

I close with my own self care framework that can be used for you or for your clients, to help get closer to alignment. You can find the link to your copy of the framework to work through on your own here.

For more details on EMDR Certification.

For details on EMDR Consultation.

A great basic training for EMDR.

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!

What is Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy and why does it matter?
In this deeply moving episode of The Self Careapist Podcast, Lorain Moorehead, LCSW, sits down with Dr. Sonya Lott, grief therapy expert and affiliate of the Center for Prolonged Grief, to explore Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD). You’ll learn what PGD is, how it’s diagnosed, and why so many therapists and clients miss the signs.

Whether you’re a therapist, a grieving human, or someone supporting others through loss, this conversation offers transformative clarity, heartfelt compassion, and actionable insight. Dr. Lott breaks down the evolution of grief language, explains why the five stages of grief model is outdated, and shares a roadmap for evidence-based grief therapy.

You’ll learn:

• What defines Prolonged Grief Disorder and how it differs from depression or PTSD
• How to assess PGD using validated tools like the Inventory of Complicated Grief
• The structure of Prolonged Grief Therapy (PGT) and its roots in CBT and attachment theory
• Why grief-specific training is essential for today’s therapists
• Where to access free and low-cost PGD training and resources

Dr. Lott also shares how therapists can protect their own emotional energy while holding space for sorrow and why this work is sacred.

Listen now to discover how Prolonged Grief Disorder Therapy is helping us conceptualize how to understand loss and how you can integrate these vital tools into your work and life.

Resources mentioned:

• Center for Prolonged Grief
• Caring Connections – University of Utah
• Article
• Dr. Sonya Lott's website
• The inventory of complicated grief

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!

In this episode, Lorain speaks with Dr. Liz McIngvale; the co-founder of new mental health training app MHNTI, the director of the OCD Institute of Texas, and adjunct faculty at Baylor College of Medicine. A nationally and internationally recognized authority on obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), Dr. McIngvale has published over 35 peer-reviewed journal articles, multiple textbook chapters and is a sought-after contributor to national expert panels, media, and conferences. This episode packs a punch, describing the importance of proper training when it comes to treating OCD, the importance in not using "OCD" casually to describe preferences, and gives the low down on the evidence based treatment for OCD, Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP). She details her own OCD journey and how it has allowed her to dedicate her career to the treatment advancement of OCD research.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to OCD and Its Impact
03:00 Personal Journey with OCD Treatment
05:46 Understanding ERP and Training in OCD Treatment
09:05 The Launch of Menti: A New Training Resource
11:35 Defining OCD: Misconceptions and Realities
14:48 Subtypes of OCD: Understanding Variability
17:28 Improving Clinical Practices for OCD Treatment
20:16 Understanding OCD Assessment and Measurement
22:31 Risk Factors in OCD Treatment
23:48 The Importance of Values-Based ERP
27:11 Aligning Treatment with Patient Values
29:47 Resources for Finding Qualified OCD Providers
32:11 Leveraging Technology in Mental Health Care
37:21 Self-Care Strategies for Clinicians and Patients

Links from the Episode:

Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)
Dr. Bruce Perry

Dr. Jon Abramowitz

MHNTI

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!

In this episode, Lorain sits down with Dr. Marni Feuerman, LCSW, LMFT, clinical psychologist and author of Ghosted and Breadcrumbed to explore different approaches to couples therapy including the two she's highly trained in--Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) and Gottman. We cover the key tenants of both approaches, how to get started with them, as well as attachment styles and chemistry. Dr. Feuerman is a self-proclaimed therapy nerd and was able to give some key insight into how she has used her endless curiousity to expand and establish her career.

Time stamps:
00:00 Journey Through Couples Therapy Training
02:52 The Evolution of EFT and Its Applications
05:44 Experiential Learning in Therapy
08:35 Initial Sessions and Assessment Strategies
11:38 Integrating Individual and Couples Therapy
14:33 The Role of Writing and Public Speaking in Therapy
17:33 Understanding Relationship Patterns and Solutions
31:03 Reverse Engineering Relationships
32:57 Understanding Attachment Styles
34:24 The Role of Chemistry in Relationships
39:17 Navigating Initial Attraction
43:50 Continuous Learning for Therapists
47:25 Practical Steps for Aspiring Therapists

Key References from episode:

Attachment Theory in Practice

The New Marriage Clinic

Ghosted and Breadcrumbed

Becoming Attached

The Talking Solution- Dr. Feuerman's Psychotherapy Practice

Dr. Marni

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!

This episode was timed the week of Dr. Aaron Brinen's new book, Living Well with Psychosis. One of the lines I liked in his book is "in order to talk about Living Well, we have to talk about living," and, we do! From developing goals and aspirations to supporting and encouraging the family, and discussing how to incorporate activity, and plenty of it, we cover some key elements of treating psychosis in addition to discussion about how to support some of the specific obstacles that our clients living with psychosis may be facing. We talk about the development of the Recovery-Oriented Cognitive model in collaboration with Aaron T. Beck, the father of cognitive psychology.

If authoring books is in your future, we also get some unexpected gems about the process and considerations of writing!

Dr. Brinen's supportive and optimistic attitude as well as his mention of the need to advocate for our clients dealing with psychosis make this a hopeful informative listen, and I think you'll find some takeaways to consider whether you are new to this treatment population or have been treating psychosis for decades.

To access a copy of Living Well with Psychosis

To access the activity tracker we discussed in the episode

If you're interested in learning more about CT-R

The Self Careapist Podcast is a biweekly conversation with Lorain Moorehead, LCSW a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Lorain Moorehead Therapy and Consultation in Arizona where we specialize in High Achieving Professionals, EMDR, perinatal mental health, and clinical supervision. We cover therapeutic specialties with mental health professionals from intern to advanced supervisor in mind while dropping gems and aha moments for everyone who loves to learn! If you love learning and want to keep track of some futher learning opportunities, grab your learning map here!

If you liked this episode, feel free to subscribe and leave a review! Your support helps us be a top mental health podcast and resource. See you next week!