Things You Learn in Therapy

Beth Trammell PhD, HSPP
  • 4.5 (25)
  • Mental Health
  • Updated Weekly

A behind-the-scenes look at the best tips and techniques from clinicians around the world. This podcast shares practical techniques for a wide range of mental health topics, from parenting to substance use, mindfulness, anxiety, depression and so much more. If you are looking for great mental health advice from experienced therapists & psychologists, you are in the right place! AND... if you are you are a clinician who is looking to learn new techniques, this podcast is right for you, too!Listen, like, and subscribe!

  1. 1d ago

    Ep179: Mya and I Talk Through the Real Transition to College

    Send us Fan Mail The college countdown can feel like one long shopping trip, but we know the real transition is way messier and far more meaningful. I sit down with my daughter, Mya, as she gets ready to leave for college and play volleyball, and we talk through the parts people don’t always say out loud: what it’s like to share a tiny dorm, how a roommate dynamic can shift from “teammate” to “cohabiting humans,” and why small irritations become big problems when nobody is willing to name them. We also get personal about homesickness, FOMO, and the strange emotional math of loving your hometown while still wanting something new. Maya describes that punch-in-the-stomach feeling of seeing friends together on social media while you’re away, and we talk about how to hold two truths at once: grief for what you’re leaving and excitement for what you’re building. For parents and students alike, we dig into communication expectations, staying connected without hovering, and why pushing through early discomfort can help freshman year feel less overwhelming. Then we shift into college academics and practical study skills: organization with a new schedule, note-taking strategies, why cramming doesn’t stick, and how small study blocks build real retention over time. I share professor-side advice you can use immediately, like reading the syllabus like a roadmap, showing up to class even when you think it “doesn’t matter,” going to office hours to build relationships, and learning netiquette so your emails sound professional when it counts. If you’re preparing for college, parenting a soon-to-be freshman, or just want a grounded guide to the emotional and academic realities of the transition, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a student or parent who needs it, and leave a review. What’s the one part of college you wish someone had prepared you for? This podcast is meant to be a resource for the general public, as well as fellow therapists/psychologists. It is NOT meant to replace the meaningful work of individual or family therapy. Please seek professional help in your area if you are struggling. #breakthestigma #makewordsmatter #thingsyoulearnintherapy #thingsyoulearnintherapypodcast If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health concerns, please contact 988 or seek a treatment provider in your area. If you are a therapist or psychologist and want to be a guest on the show, please complete this form to apply: Podcast Application Form Feel free to share your thoughts at www.makewordsmatterforgood.com or email me at Beth@makewordsmatterforgood.com Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

  2. 1d ago

    Ep178: OCD In Kids, Explained Clearly with Sierra Dator

    Send us Fan Mail OCD in kids can hide in plain sight and it rarely looks like the stereotypes. If you’ve ever watched your child get stuck on a “not right” feeling, repeat a question for reassurance, or redo a routine until it clicks, you already know how confusing and exhausting it can be for the whole family. We sit down with licensed clinical social worker Sierra Dator to translate what’s really happening in the OCD cycle, using clear language parents can actually use at home. We break down obsessive compulsive disorder into its two moving parts: obsessions (sticky, intrusive thoughts) and compulsions (the actions or mental rituals that bring short-term relief). A big focus is the stuff you can’t see, like internal checking, mental counting, and quiet rituals that keep parents guessing. We also draw a practical line between generalized anxiety and OCD, including why OCD thoughts can feel stranger, more random, and harder to dismiss, and why giving the pattern a name can reduce shame instead of creating it. From assessment tools like the Yale-Brown checklist to the treatment that works best, we get specific about exposure and response prevention (ERP therapy), why it’s considered the gold standard for pediatric OCD, and what it looks like when you’re pacing ERP for a child’s development. We also talk about parents as part of the process, how progress can “snowball” once one symptom shifts, and why early intervention can keep OCD from getting entrenched over the years. If you know a parent who’s quietly worried, share this with them, then subscribe and leave a review so more families can find evidence-based OCD help. This podcast is meant to be a resource for the general public, as well as fellow therapists/psychologists. It is NOT meant to replace the meaningful work of individual or family therapy. Please seek professional help in your area if you are struggling. #breakthestigma #makewordsmatter #thingsyoulearnintherapy #thingsyoulearnintherapypodcast If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health concerns, please contact 988 or seek a treatment provider in your area. If you are a therapist or psychologist and want to be a guest on the show, please complete this form to apply: Podcast Application Form Feel free to share your thoughts at www.makewordsmatterforgood.com or email me at Beth@makewordsmatterforgood.com Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

  3. Jul 17

    Ep177: You Can Teach Coping Skills and Still Struggle with Dr. Gerry Novak

    Send us Fan Mail The hardest part of being a helper isn’t learning the tools. It’s living them when your own life is loud, crowded, and messy. Beth sits down with psychologist and coach Dr. Gerry “Dr. Sunshine” Novak for a real conversation about why competent therapists, coaches, and high-achievers can still feel stuck in self-sabotage, overcommitment, and a constant hum of chaos.  We dig into the pattern Gerry sees in himself: things finally calm down, then he fills the space with something that looks different but ends the same way. His “sweet tooth” metaphor makes it painfully clear how we swap one stressor for another and only recognize the pattern in hindsight. From leadership headaches to fixer habits, we talk boundaries, burnout, and the hidden cost of being addicted to feeling needed.  Then we reframe self-compassion and stress management with a practical lens: the right amount of stress is the amount you can recover from. That single idea changes how you set goals, build routines, and choose commitments that support mental health instead of draining it. We also touch imposter syndrome, why credentials don’t quiet it, and how to create meaningful work anyway.  If this resonates, share it with a helper who’s carrying too much, and please subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what boundary you’re practicing this week. This podcast is meant to be a resource for the general public, as well as fellow therapists/psychologists. It is NOT meant to replace the meaningful work of individual or family therapy. Please seek professional help in your area if you are struggling. #breakthestigma #makewordsmatter #thingsyoulearnintherapy #thingsyoulearnintherapypodcast If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health concerns, please contact 988 or seek a treatment provider in your area. If you are a therapist or psychologist and want to be a guest on the show, please complete this form to apply: Podcast Application Form Feel free to share your thoughts at www.makewordsmatterforgood.com or email me at Beth@makewordsmatterforgood.com Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

  4. Jul 3

    EP176: The First Two Minutes

    Send us Fan Mail The fastest way to turn pickup time into a power struggle is to start with a checklist: seatbelt, behavior report, homework, chores, questions, questions, questions. If you’ve ever watched your kid shut down the second they get in the car, we get it and there’s a better first move. I’m Dr. Beth Trammell, a licensed psychologist, and I’m sharing one of my favorite tools for improving child behavior without raising your voice: pairing. Pairing is a simple, ABA-informed strategy that helps parents and teachers build connection on purpose so kids are more willing to follow directions later. We break down what pairing is (and what it isn’t), why kids often experience “How was your day?” as pressure, and how small moments of warmth can lower frustration for everyone. You’ll hear exactly when to use pairing (the first 15 seconds to two minutes after being apart), what to avoid during that window (commands and rapid-fire questions), and what to say instead. We also talk through easy scripts, morning and after-school routines, and quick connection options like a smile, a compliment, a hug, or a fist bump to create the psychological safety that makes cooperation more likely. If you try this connection-first approach, share what changes for your family or classroom. Subscribe, share this with a parent or teacher who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find the show. Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

  5. Jun 26

    Parenting In The Scroll Era with Nicole McNelis

    Send us Fan Mail Your feed can make you feel like everyone else has parenting figured out and your brain treats those images like facts. That is where the spiral starts: comparison, pressure, overstimulation, and the quiet sense that you are failing at something that is already hard. We sit down with licensed professional counselor Nicole McNelis, a perinatal mental health clinician and leading voice on mom rage, to name what is actually happening when parents scroll and why it hits so deeply. We talk about the strange mix social media creates, a friend’s real-life update next to professional, aspirational influencer content, and how that “all in one stream” effect confuses our sense of normal. Nicole breaks down the types of parenting influencers, from “I’m just like you” relatability to expert-driven authority, and how both can monetize fear with dramatic promises that are not even developmentally realistic. If you have ever felt pulled toward a quick fix, a course, a journal, or a miracle toddler strategy, you will recognize the pattern. Then we get practical. We share tools for becoming a critical consumer, taking intentional pauses to check your “why,” swapping in replacement behaviors that actually regulate your nervous system, and adding friction by changing how you access apps. We also dig into modeling for kids, from device-free meals to screen boundaries that can evolve as your family evolves, all grounded in self-compassion and ongoing recalibration. If this conversation helps, subscribe, share it with a parent friend, and leave a quick review so more families can find it. Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

  6. Jun 26

    Why Boundaries With Your Parent Can Feel Impossible with Jessica Van Der Merwe

    Send us Fan Mail The moment you ask for something small a knock before entering, a little privacy, a basic respect and the conversation somehow ends with you apologizing, you are not “too sensitive.” We dig into why interactions with emotionally immature parents and other emotionally immature people can feel so disorienting, especially for adult children of dysfunctional families carrying complex trauma. When your nervous system has learned that needs lead to backlash, even healthy boundaries can feel like danger. We talk through what emotional immaturity looks like in real life, how it differs from temporary emotional regression, and why repair and accountability are the dividing line. Then we name a pattern many listeners recognize instantly: DARVO (deny, attack, reverse victim and offender). When DARVO shows up, reality gets rewritten, guilt gets weaponized, and you leave the conversation wondering if you’re crazy, cruel, or selfish for wanting something reasonable. From there, we move into the healing fantasy, the relentless hope that if you find the perfect words, do enough caretaking, or become “mature enough,” they will finally see you and change. We explore how that childhood survival strategy can follow us into adult relationships and identity, and what it looks like to grieve the fantasy without falling into despair. We also answer a big question: how do you stop being defined by your trauma without denying your story? That’s where inner child work, parts work (including IFS-informed approaches), and somatic therapy can help you integrate what happened and reclaim your true self beyond the role you had to play. If you’ve been asking, “How long will this take?” we hold that honestly while still ending in something solid: real hope and real change are possible. Subscribe, share this with someone who needs language for what they’re living, and leave a review. What part of this conversation hits closest to home for you? Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

  7. Jun 19

    Ep173: What If Your Calm Is the Real Product? with Barbara Sheehan-Zeidler

    Send us Fan Mail Therapy is “just listening” the way surgery is “just holding a scalpel.” Barbara Sheehan Zeidler joins me to name the thing many clinicians feel but rarely say out loud: our presence is the intervention. Barbara is a licensed professional counselor, an EMDR approved trainer and consultant, IFS Level 3 certified, and a proud polyvagal nerd, and she breaks down why grounded attunement, self-awareness, and compassionate empathy create the safety that makes any modality actually work. We also go straight into the money conversation therapists tend to avoid. We unpack why accepting payment can feel awkward, how the “fix it” narrative fuels anxious overfunctioning, and why undercharging often ties back to old family stories about scarcity and what it means to be “rich.” We contrast cost vs value in therapy and ask the harder question: what does it cost to keep living with disconnection, conflict, and daily misery? Then we get practical about building alternative income streams for therapists so your career stays sustainable and burnout-resistant. We talk workshops, intensives, retreats, consultation, reputation-building through community offerings, and how to start with what you’re naturally good at instead of copying someone else’s business model. If you want a healthier practice and a calmer relationship with pricing, hit play, share this with a clinician friend, and leave a review. What’s one belief about money you’re ready to rewrite? Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

  8. Jun 12

    Ep 172: What If Your Body Remembers More Than You Do with Scott Stolarick

    Send us Fan Mail Trauma doesn’t have to be catastrophic to be real and “it wasn’t bad enough” might be the most common thought that keeps people from getting help. We sit down with Scott E. Stolarick, LCPC, CCTP, a trauma-informed therapist and the owner of Mosaic Pathway Counseling, to unpack why trauma isn’t a competition and why two people can live through the same moment and walk away with completely different nervous system responses. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re overreacting, whether you should just get over it, or whether therapy is “for people with bigger problems,” this conversation is for you.  We talk about how validation works in trauma therapy and why so many clients come in hoping a professional will “rate” their experience. Scott offers a grounded reframe: you’re the author of your story, and your internal reaction deserves attention even when outsiders don’t understand it. We also explore how disclosure is shaped by the responses people get from family, partners, and communities, especially when the trauma is sexual abuse or another topic that gets minimized, doubted, or brushed aside.  Then we get practical about EMDR therapy, a trauma treatment modality that can feel more structured than traditional talk therapy. We cover informed consent, readiness, why EMDR can move quickly, and why the therapist’s role is often to create safety and then get out of the way so your mind and body can process. We close with one of the most underrated tools in healing: repair, accountability, and honest feedback inside the therapy relationship.  If this helped you name something you’ve been carrying, subscribe for more, share this episode with someone who needs it, and leave a review so more people can find trauma-informed mental health conversations. This podcast is meant to be a resource for the general public, as well as fellow therapists/psychologists. It is NOT meant to replace the meaningful work of individual or family therapy. Please seek professional help in your area if you are struggling. #breakthestigma #makewordsmatter #thingsyoulearnintherapy #thingsyoulearnintherapypodcast If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health concerns, please contact 988 or seek a treatment provider in your area. If you are a therapist or psychologist and want to be a guest on the show, please complete this form to apply: https://forms.gle/ooy8QirpgL2JSLhP6 Feel free to share your thoughts at www.makewordsmatterforgood.com or email me at Beth@makewordsmatterforgood.com Support the show www.bethtrammell.com

See All (256)

4.5
out of 5
25 Ratings

About

A behind-the-scenes look at the best tips and techniques from clinicians around the world. This podcast shares practical techniques for a wide range of mental health topics, from parenting to substance use, mindfulness, anxiety, depression and so much more. If you are looking for great mental health advice from experienced therapists & psychologists, you are in the right place! AND... if you are you are a clinician who is looking to learn new techniques, this podcast is right for you, too!Listen, like, and subscribe!

Information

  • Creator
    Beth Trammell PhD, HSPP
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    256
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Things You Learn in Therapy
  • Show Website
    Things You Learn in Therapy

You Might Also Like