Therapy, Trust, and Truth-Telling: A Raw Conversation on Mental Health

⏱️ Timestamped Show Notes [00:00:00] – Alisa introduces herself, her trauma background, and why she became a licensed therapist. [00:01:30] – Nikki asks about Alisa’s accent; Alisa shares her immigrant experience and early trauma. [00:02:45] – Deep discussion on the concept of “going back” to who you were before trauma. [00:04:00] – Nikki shares her foster care story, abuse history, and frustration with society’s perception of “pillars of the community.” [00:06:00] – Alisa explains why grieving former selves is often part of healing and evolution. [00:07:30] – Discussing different forms of trauma and how unmet needs in childhood shape adult relationships. [00:08:30] – The complexity of emotional neglect, even in seemingly “okay” homes. [00:09:00] – Nikki explains her strong stance against group therapy based on personal experiences. [00:12:00] – Alisa agrees that group therapy is not for everyone; facilitator education matters. [00:14:30] – Importance of safe group environments and competent guidance. [00:15:30] – Introduction of self-care tools like the Finch app; daily goals and mental health apps. [00:17:30] – Nikki and Alisa talk about CBT, EMDR, and how tools can be adapted when certain sensations don’t work for clients. [00:20:00] – Nikki shares a story of a therapist claiming to cure bipolar disorder in 30 days – and the damage that caused. [00:22:00] – The difference between wanting the pain to end and actually being suicidal; discussion on suicidal ideation and therapeutic misunderstanding. [00:24:00] – Nikki shares more about the “wall” she built between herself and suicidal action due to her mother’s past. [00:26:00] – How building protective systems helps long-term survival. [00:28:00] – Removing some walls while protecting others: evolution of healing over 10 years of therapy. [00:30:00] – A miscommunication with a guest and reflections on how trauma shows up in words. [00:32:00] – Alisa strongly advises against trauma coaching and explains ethical concerns around unlicensed trauma professionals. [00:33:00] – How Alisa continues to educate herself and treats her work as a mission. [00:34:00] – Humor in therapy; Nikki shares how she and her therapist use dark humor to manage heavy topics. [00:37:00] – Nikki talks about rage toward generic therapy questions like “how did that make you feel?” [00:39:00] – Breaking problems into small steps vs. getting overwhelmed by the big picture. [00:41:00] – Importance of co-creating a therapy approach that fits the client’s personality. [00:42:30] – First impressions and how clients can (and should) request a different therapist if needed. [00:44:00] – Nikki’s preference for female therapists and early bad experiences with mismatched ones. [00:46:00] – Therapy intake process, biosocial assessments, and navigating first sessions. [00:48:00] – Talk therapy and trauma: when it helps, when it doesn’t. [00:50:00] – Systemic misunderstandings about trauma healing and how therapists can do harm. [00:52:00] – Building trust over time and making space for discomfort and dark thoughts in therapy. [00:54:00] – Context matters: therapists must understand intent behind intense language. [00:56:00] – The fine line between required reporting and overreacting to venting. [01:00:00] – The cookie metaphor: every person’s trauma is unique. [01:01:00] – Tips for navigating therapy successfully, including medication guidance. [01:04:00] – Nikki shares life as a military brat, having lived in every state but Alaska and Hawaii. [01:05:00] – Transition into a second segment: identifying niche audiences in business. [01:06:00] – Explaining how knowing your business model helps determine your niche. [01:07:00] – Examples of niche targeting for dry cleaning, contracting, and home services. [01:10:00] – Using BNI, inspectors, and real estate agents to build networks. [01:13:00] – Using AI and ChatGPT to create customer avatars. [01:15:00] – The sentence: “I help ___ with ___ so they can ___.” [01:17:00] – Collaborating with other businesses to reach shared niche audiences. [01:18:00] – Wrap-up: understanding personas helps with better marketing and business growth.