The Clinical Moment

Amy Davis and Casey Baker
  • 5.0 (1)
  • MENTAL HEALTH

Stories of Practice, People, and Purpose Across Iowa The Clinical Moment is a podcast from LSI that highlights the people behind the work of mental health care across Iowa. With more than forty clinicians serving communities statewide, LSI is committed to providing compassionate, ethical, and meaningful care both in and out of the therapy room. Each episode features conversations with LSI clinicians about their professional practice, their paths into the field, and the values that guide their work. These discussions explore what it means to show up as a clinician and as a human, offering insight into the realities of mental health work while celebrating the impact clinicians have in their communities. Through sharing these stories, The Clinical Moment aims to expand the reach of LSI’s clinical work, highlight the depth and diversity of services offered across Iowa, and help reduce stigma around mental health by making these conversations more visible, relatable, and human.

Episodes

  1. FEB 18

    Who Is Your One? Trust, Connection, and the Relationships That Change Us

    In this episode of The Clinical Moment, hosts Amy Davis and Casey Baker sit down with Michael, an LSI clinician who works with youth in juvenile detention centers across Iowa and is also a singer in his personal life. Michael shares how showing up, including attending court hearings, can transform trust, engagement, and willingness to heal, especially for young people who have never had a consistent advocate. He explains his deeply relationship-based approach and how he integrates Solution-Focused strategies such as exceptions, scaling, and future-oriented planning to help youth identify strengths, build realistic goals, and create a concrete “24/7 plan” for life outside detention. The conversation expands into healthy relationships more broadly. Michael discusses what makes relationships emotionally safe, how communication breaks down, especially around trust injuries, and how couples can shift from reactive conflict to clearer needs, empathy, and repair. Along the way, he connects music and voice as metaphors for authenticity and expression, and he discusses creative tools that support youth in telling their stories in new ways. Resources mentioned in the episodeNorcross and Lambert on psychotherapy outcome factors, including the role of client factors, the therapeutic relationship, and techniqueChild and Adolescent PTSD Symptom Scale (CPSS) used as part of initial assessment and conversation with youthACEs, Adverse Childhood Experiences referenced as a parallel lens for understanding history and impactGabor Maté and Compassionate Inquiry for trauma framing, with emphasis on what happens inside as a result of what happenedSuno AI music creation tool used to support youth expression through lyric-writing and song creationCommissioned gospel music group Michael listened to growing upHelped, Hugged, or Heard communication check-in tool for couples Listen to Michael's music here: https://open.spotify.com/track/4zvwoNQdQYsfRhOE01gXej?si=qELrm3jyRJOXRUBg3gYwZg https://music.apple.com/us/album/love-letter/1858486891?i=1858486892

    46 min

  2. JAN 28

    Small Choices, Meaningful Lives: Habits Beyond Productivity

    In this episode of The Clinical Moment, the hosts are joined by Joe (LSI therapist, Des Moines) for a grounded, values-centered conversation about habits and self-care. Rather than framing habits as “fixing yourself” or becoming more productive, the discussion reframes habits as signals of what we’re valuing, avoiding, coping with, or moving toward. Joe shares how his existential, person-centered approach emphasizes meaning-making, identity, authenticity, and learning to sit with discomfort (instead of only trying to “cope it away”). Together, they explore how habits can support change when they’re rooted in values and identity, how language shapes commitment (“I’m trying” vs. “I am”), and how small shifts can compound over time, especially when approached with curiosity and grace rather than judgment. Resources Mentioned in the EpisodeBooks & AuthorsAtomic Habits — James ClearHow Not to Speak of God — Peter RollinsThe Case for God — Karen ArmstrongHour of the Heart — Irvin YalomA Year with Thomas Merton — Thomas MertonThe Existentialist Survival Guide — Gordon MarinoMan’s Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl Concepts & ApproachesValues clarification / values card sort (narrowing down values and creating a personal values statement)Identity-based habit change (language + identity shift)Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (acceptance + values-based action)Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (dialectics; coping strategies; “urge surfing” referenced)Solution-Focused “Magic Wand” question (imagining desired change)Time audit / screen-time review (where time goes vs. where you want it to go) Practical Tools Discussed5–4–3–2–1 grounding: 5 things you see, 4 feel, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 tasteTexture grounding: noticing tactile sensations (clothing, chair, objects)“Go touch grass”: literal reconnection with the present moment outdoorsSour candy grounding: lemon drops / sour candies as a quick sensory resetAccountability supports: trusted people, mentorship, community support (12-step mentioned as one example—acknowledging it isn’t for everyone)

    45 min

  3. JAN 15

    The Clinical Moment

    Welcome to the first episode of The Clinical Moment. In this opening conversation, co-hosts Amy Davis and Casey Baker share why this podcast was created and what listeners can expect moving forward. Both hosts work within Lutheran Services in Iowa, a statewide nonprofit with more than 160 years of service and a growing clinical team of over 40 therapists providing care across Iowa through in-person and telehealth services. This podcast was created to highlight the people behind the clinical work and to make mental health conversations more human, relatable, and accessible. In this episode, Amy and Casey introduce themselves, reflect on their roles in clinical services, supervision, and education, and discuss the value of authenticity, collaboration, and ongoing growth. They share how The Clinical Momentgrew out of real conversations between colleagues and why creating space for reflection matters. Listeners will also hear what to expect in future episodes, including monthly themes such as self-care, relationships, trauma awareness, stress, creativity, and professional development. Each episode will feature LSI clinicians sharing their practice, passions, and lived experience with an emphasis on honesty over perfection. This podcast is for clinicians, students, clients, and anyone interested in mental health and meaningful connection. The episode closes with a preview of the first guest clinician and an invitation for listeners to engage, ask questions, and join the conversation.

    14 min
  • 3 Episodes

About

Stories of Practice, People, and Purpose Across Iowa The Clinical Moment is a podcast from LSI that highlights the people behind the work of mental health care across Iowa. With more than forty clinicians serving communities statewide, LSI is committed to providing compassionate, ethical, and meaningful care both in and out of the therapy room. Each episode features conversations with LSI clinicians about their professional practice, their paths into the field, and the values that guide their work. These discussions explore what it means to show up as a clinician and as a human, offering insight into the realities of mental health work while celebrating the impact clinicians have in their communities. Through sharing these stories, The Clinical Moment aims to expand the reach of LSI’s clinical work, highlight the depth and diversity of services offered across Iowa, and help reduce stigma around mental health by making these conversations more visible, relatable, and human.

Information

  • Creator
    Amy Davis and Casey Baker
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    3
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    The Clinical Moment