Podcast
Ask Kati Anything
Hosted by Kati Morton, LMFT · EN
Ask Kati Anything is a weekly mental health Q&A podcast where licensed therapist Kati Morton, LMFT, answers real questions from listeners about anxiety, depression, trauma, PTSD, eating disorders, OCD, BPD, ADHD, panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, relationships, attachment styles, narcissistic abuse, boundaries, self-esteem, and everything else that comes up in a therapy room. With over 12 years in private practice and a YouTube community of more than 1.5 million, Kati brings clinical insight, warmth, and zero judgment to the conversations most people are afraid to have out loud. Each episode pulls directly from listener submissions, so the topics stay grounded in what people are actually struggling with, from CBT and DBT skills to healing from childhood trauma to figuring out if it's time to start therapy. Whether you're in therapy, considering it, or just trying to understand your own mind a little better, this is the show that treats your questions like they matter, because they do.
21episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Food Noise, GLP-1s, and Why You Keep Starting Over with Dr. Rachel Goldman
2w ago01:06:09Tap to summarizeMost of us know what we should be doing. The harder question is why we can't actually do it. In this episode, Dr. Rachel Goldman joins Kati to talk about food noise, GLP-1s, cognitive behavioral therapy, and the small mindset shifts that change everything. Dr. Rachel is a clinical psychologist, clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and author of the new book When Life Happens. She specializes in cognitive behavioral therapy, stress, and the treatment of eating disorders and obesity, and she runs a private practice in New York City. Today we talk about why your brain defaults to worst-case scenario (it's survival wiring, not a personal flaw), the one-word shift that interrupts all-or-nothing thinking, and the cognitive distortions quietly running your day. Dr. Rachel walks us through what food noise actually is and why some people genuinely don't have it, how GLP-1 medications are changing the conversation around eating disorders and obesity treatment, and what most people misunderstand about both. We get into why the body sends signals that get louder until you finally listen, why "finding balance" is setting you up to fail, and the reframe that finally helped Dr. Rachel stop cancelling on herself. We also go personal: how a clinical psychologist talks to her own kids about mistakes, what's actually in her toolbox when life feels too heavy, and the moment that changed how she thinks about self-care. If you've been doing the work, reading the books, going to therapy, and still feel like you can't get traction, this conversation gives you a place to start that doesn't require overhauling your life. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything BiOptimizers Magnesium Breakthrough — Go to bioptimizers.com/kati and use code KATI for 15% off your entire order, plus a FREE bottle of MassZymes Reddit — Download the Reddit app today! Chapters (0:00) Why you keep starting over (1:30) Why she wrote this book (4:18) What a mindset shift looks like (6:00) All-or-nothing thinking (8:30) The one small thing rule (12:02) Worst-case scenario thinking (14:30) The thoughts running your day (16:13) When therapists share personal stuff (18:30) Did training prepare her for motherhood? (24:00) Working in obesity treatment (30:00) GLP-1s and food noise explained (37:20) Dance, eating disorders, the wake-up (42:30) Your body is sending signals (44:30) Managing a book launch and two kids (48:00) The Casey Neistat self-care moment (52:20) Why finding balance fails (55:00) Poker chips and resilience (58:30) What she hopes her kids learn (1:02:30) Dr. Rachel's three tools (1:04:30) Where to find Dr. Rachel Dr. Rachel's book When Life Happens is out now: whenlifehappensbook.comFind Dr. Rachel on Instagram: @drrachelnyc More from Kati YouTube: youtube.com/c/katimorton Instagram: @katimorton Kati's BooksWhy Do I Keep Doing This? geni.us/XoyLSQTraumatized geni.us/Bfak0jAre u ok? geni.us/sva4iUY Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →When to leave a relationship, starting therapy with CPTSD, shame spirals, healthy love, inner child work
3w ago00:50:55Tap to summarizeWhat do you do when your relationship is hard but you can't tell if it's worth saving, or when your trauma history makes your instincts feel unreliable? This week on Ask Kati Anything, licensed therapist Kati Morton, LMFT, answers seven listener questions about the moments when everything feels overwhelming and you can't tell what's the relationship, what's the depression, and what's the trauma talking. Topics in this episode include: when to stay in a relationship versus when to leave, BPD and people pleasing, complex PTSD and attachment wounds, fear of abandonment, codependency, starting therapy when you have bulimia, non-suicidal self-injury, and dissociation, grounding techniques for flashbacks, what healthy love actually looks like, why depression breakthrough symptoms make you feel empty after good experiences, shame spirals and how vulnerability snuffs shame out (Brené Brown's research), rumination, behavioral activation, recovering motivation after emotional burnout, finding yourself again after trauma, inner child work and writing letters to your younger self, and how to respond to unsolicited advice without building resentment. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:56 When to stay vs leave a relationship, attachment, BPD, complex PTSD 12:00 Starting therapy with bulimia, BPD, self-harm, and dissociation 19:00 What healthy love really looks like 25:11 Feeling empty after going out, depression breakthrough symptoms 28:39 Shame spirals, rumination, and Brené Brown on vulnerability 34:25 Lack of motivation after burnout, becoming yourself after trauma 40:56 Inner child work, writing letters to your younger self 45:21 Unsolicited advice and how to respond Submit your question: https://www.youtube.com/@Katimorton/community Follow Kati on Instagram: @katimorton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Escaping Narcissistic Circles: A 4-Step Filter for Your Life
4w ago01:17:46Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton welcomes keynote speaker and bestselling author Ginny Priem to discuss the heavy toll of over-functioning and the path to reclaiming your identity. Ginny shares her powerful Unsubscribe Framework, a tool designed to help you filter out the noise and set firm boundaries in both your professional and personal life. From uncovering a partner's shocking double life to navigating the complexities of narcissistic family dynamics, Kati and Ginny explore how to heal from betrayal and the necessity of choosing peace over toxic loyalty. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything • ZocDoc - visit Zocdoc | Find a Doctor Near You | Book Doctors Online to find and instantly book a doctor you love today! https://www.zocdoc.com/KATI • Ka’Chava - Go to Ka’Chava: https://kachava.com/ and use code KATI for 15% off your first order • Reddit - Download the Reddit app today! Topics covered: The Unsubscribe Pillars: Learn how to use Block, Manage, Swap, and Mute to protect your time and energy. Healing from Betrayal: Ginny opens up about discovering her partner's systemic deception and how it became the catalyst for her life's work. Identifying Narcissistic Abuse: Understanding DARVO (Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender) and recognizing the signs of gaslighting. The Reality of No-Contact: A candid look at the difficult decision to go no-contact with a narcissistic parent. Living with Grief: Shifting the perspective from "moving through" grief to learning how to grow your life around it. Rebuilding Self-Trust: Why spending time with yourself (not just by yourself) is the key to fixing a "broken picker". Ginny Priem: Book: Unsubscribe: Why Letting Go is the Secret to Getting Ahead Podcast: Unsubscribe with Ginny Priem Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →"Is Therapy Supposed to Feel This Hard?"
Apr 3001:07:16Tap to summarizeIn this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton addresses why the healing process often feels more overwhelming after a breakthrough or a new diagnosis. We dive deep into the complexities of adult autism, the physical "freeze" response caused by trauma shame, and the frustration of feeling like your mental health journey has stalled. Kati also shares her perspective on the evolving role of GLP-1 medications in treating "food noise" and why reaching out for help when you’re "doing okay" is actually the best time for deep therapeutic work. Whether you’re navigating a difficult legal trigger like a parole hearing or searching for meaning in the face of depression, this episode provides grounded, empathetic tools to help you move forward. Shopping today's sponsor helps support Ask Kati Anything. ZocDoc - visit https://www.zocdoc.com/KATI to find and instantly book a doctor you love today! Key Topics Covered Autism & "Standard" Therapy: Why therapy can feel like a performance after an adult diagnosis and how to adapt your sessions. The Silence of Shame: How to handle the dissociation and urge to "no-show" after disclosing childhood sexual abuse. Coping Skill "Hard Stops": Recognizing when weed or restrictive eating shifts from a survival tool to a barrier in your recovery. Social Cues & Connection: Practical advice for "reality testing" interactions and distinguishing between friendly and flirty behavior. Maintenance vs. Crisis: Why you don't need to be "doing poorly" to benefit from therapy—and why maintenance work is more effective. The Search for Meaning: Navigating depression when traditional treatments like CBT or DBT feel out of reach or ineffective. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →You're Not a Bad Mom. You're Repeating What You Saw
Apr 2401:16:45Tap to summarizeShe caught herself mid-sentence and realized it wasn't her voice. It was her mother's. This episode is about the patterns you inherited without knowing it, the ones running your parenting, your relationships, and the way you talk to yourself right now.Kati sits down with JoAnn Crohn, parenting educator and founder of No Guilt Mom, for a conversation that starts with mom guilt and lands somewhere much deeper. JoAnn shares how she white-knuckled through breastfeeding because she believed that's what a good mom does, and the single sentence from a therapist that broke the pattern. Kati talks about spending a month with her own mother and watching in real time as her self-talk mirrored thoughts her mom carried decades earlier. Together they trace how the martyrhood pattern gets passed down, why so many women lose themselves in motherhood without noticing, and what it actually takes to come back.They also cover why families that never fought produce adults who think conflict means the relationship is over, what happens when your kid leaves for college and you realize your identity went with them, the journaling practice that rewired JoAnn's thought spirals, why naming your inner critic actually helps you stop believing it, and how JoAnn found herself again through improv comedy at 44. This is the conversation for anyone who has ever heard themselves say something and thought: that wasn't me. That was my mom. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers: For a limited time our listeners are getting 20% off their entire order by using code KATI at https://cheershealth.com/ Visit http://Care.com and use code KATI for 20% off your initial subscription or a Senior Care Advisor plan Go to https://www.zocdoc.com/KATI to find and instantly book a doctor you love today Ask Kati Anything ep. 311 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT with guest: JoAnn Crone Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →Living with a Narcissistic Mother? Reclaim Your Identity
Apr 1600:52:42Tap to summarizeStruggling with treatment-resistant depression or trying to recover from narcissistic parents and a lost sense of identity? In this episode, Katie Morton, LMFT, explores advanced mental health treatments and provides a roadmap for healing from complicated family dynamics. Whether you are dealing with "sticky memories," navigating a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, or looking for ways to manage the physical toll of trauma on your gut, this deep dive offers practical tools to help you reclaim your life. We also discuss the power of boundaries and the vital role sleep plays in regulating anxiety. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers: • Magnesium promotes relaxation and more restful sleep - visit https://bioptimizers.com/kati for 15% off any order • Care.com: Get 20% off a subscription or a senior care advisor plan at https://www.care.com/ using code KATI Chapters 00:00:49 – Q1: Creating Perspective in Severe Depression A viewer struggling with autism and treatment-resistant depression asks how to find small moments to live for when every task feels like "climbing Mount Everest." 00:14:17 – Q2: Recovering Identity from Narcissistic Parents A child of divorce seeks advice on building a sense of self after growing up with a narcissistic mother and an emotionally unavailable father. 00:20:50 – Q2 Follow-up: Healing the "Parental Wound" Addressing a comment on parental isolation, Katie discusses inner child work and letting go of the idealized version of a parent. 00:26:12 – Q3: Understanding "Sticky Memories" A viewer asks if they are "mixing memories" regarding childhood abuse or if their brain is signaling something real that needs processing. 00:29:24 – Q4: What is Projective Identification? How to stop taking on other people’s intense emotions and use "inward boundaries" to protect your own mental space. 00:35:24 – Q5: Navigating a Schizoaffective Diagnosis Katie breaks down the DSM criteria for schizoaffective disorder, explaining the intersection of mood disorders and psychosis. 00:40:38 – Q6: The Connection Between Trauma and the Gut An exploration of the "gut-brain axis" and how chronic stress and high cortisol can lead to physical abdominal issues. 00:45:11 – Q7: Why Sleep is Essential for Anxiety Relief A discussion on how sleep "cleans" the brain and provides the emotional regulation needed to weather life's storms. SchizoKitzo (tiktoker mentioned in episode) https://www.tiktok.com/@schizokitzo?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc Ask Kati Anything ep. 310 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT Books Why Do I Keep Doing This? https://geni.us/XoyLSQ Traumatized https://geni.us/Bfak0j Are u ok? https://geni.us/sva4iUY ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month) While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati PARTNERSHIPS Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co Disclaimer: The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. #podcast #psychology #katimorton Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →How do I stop being so resentful?
Apr 901:03:18Tap to summarizeIf you feel like your therapist is speaking a foreign language when they talk about "stability" or "trust," this video is for you. We break down the specific requirements for starting trauma-focused work like EMDR and why your brain might be "pulling the ripcord" through dissociation. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers: • Zocdoc: Find and book top-rated doctors, therapists, or mental health providers near you in minutes https://www.zocdoc.com/kati • Go to https://kachava.com and use code KATI for 15% off your first order MY BOOKS Why Do I Keep Doing This? Traumatized Are u ok? ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month) While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati PARTNERSHIPS Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co Disclaimer The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →"I'm Lying to My Therapist, Am I Failing?"
Apr 201:00:09Tap to summarizeHave you ever felt ashamed in therapy because your behaviors aren't changing fast enough? In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, licensed marriage and family therapist Kati Morton answers 8 listener questions on eating disorders, therapy, intimacy, ego death, depression, and mental health recovery. Topics covered include eating disorder recovery, higher levels of care (IOP and PHP), what therapists notice about body language and appearance, caregiver burnout, intimacy struggles after trauma, ego death and psychedelics, DASS questionnaires, and returning depression after remission. This Week's Sponsors: Care.com — 20% off a subscription or Senior Care Advisor plan using code KATI at https://www.care.com/ Hero Bread — 10% off your order using code KATI at https://www.hero.co/ MY BOOKS Why Do I Keep Doing This? Traumatized Are u ok? ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month) While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati PARTNERSHIPS Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co Disclaimer The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →I Looked Fine… But I Was Spiraling
Mar 2600:53:10Tap to summarizeWhat happens when the life you built online suddenly crashes? In this episode of Ask Kati Anything, I’m joined by "Creators 4 Mental Health" founder Shira Lazar to pull back the curtain on the dark side of the creator economy. Shira opens up about a personal story and feeling like a failure which triggered a decade-long journey of rebuilding her self-worth from the ground up. We discuss the "silent crisis" facing content creators today, including shocking new research that reveals why so many are spiraling behind the scenes. Whether you are struggling with a "public failure" of your own or trying to stop tying your value to external validation, this conversation offers a roadmap for turning your darkest moments into a catalyst for change. Shopping with our sponsors helps support Ask Kati Anything. Please check out this week's special offers: Care.com: Get 20% off a subscription or a senior care advisor plan at https://www.care.com/ using code KATI. Hers: To get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you, visit https://www.forhers.com/kati. Episode Timestamps: 00:04 – Meeting an "OG": The innocence of the early YouTube community. 07:03 – The "Rug Pull": Surviving a public career split and deep feelings of failure. 13:14 – Digital Rebels: Being the "misfits" in traditional news organizations. 22:31 – Mount Everest: How a life-changing trip led to a new mission in wellness. 29:53 – Advocacy: Why the creator industry needs a "Bill of Rights". 37:51 – The Data: Shocking stats on creator burnout and suicidal ideation. 41:32 – Self-Worth: Why you must stop tying your value to your analytics. 48:31 – Kati’s personal journey from rock bottom to a thriving practice. Learn more about the Creators 4 Mental Health https://www.creators4mentalhealth.com/ ONLINE THERAPY (enjoy 10% off your first month) While I do not currently offer online therapy, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed, online therapist: https://betterhelp.com/kati PARTNERSHIPS Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co Disclaimer: The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →When Your Body Remembers Trauma (Physical Symptoms Explained)
Mar 1901:07:21Tap to summarizeIs it freeze or dissociation? Autism or OCD? Can childhood trauma cause physical symptoms doctors can't explain? In this episode, I answer the questions that keep my community up at night—from understanding confusing trauma responses to the body-trauma connection, overlapping diagnoses, medication decisions, and whether psychedelic therapy actually works for CPTSD. If you've ever felt misunderstood by your own nervous system, gaslit by medical tests that come back "normal," or exhausted by flashbacks that won't quit—this episode offers validation and clarity. SPONSORS Hers - to get a personalized, affordable plan that gets you visit https://www.forhers.com/kati Zocdoc - find and book top-rated doctors, therapists, or mental health providers near you in minutes https://www.zocdoc.com/kati TOPICS COVERED 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:01:06 - Freeze vs. Dissociation: What's the Difference? 00:09:44 - When Should You Taper Off Medication? 00:16:13 - Navigating Relationships with Insecure Attachment 00:21:47 - Is It Autism or OCD? Understanding Overlapping Symptoms 00:32:43 - Can Trauma Cause Physical Symptoms? 00:40:33 - How Does Talking About Trauma Help CPTSD? 00:45:16 - Psychedelic Therapy: Psilocybin vs. Ketamine 00:56:18 - Dealing with Flashback Exhaustion 01:02:08 - Managing Chronic Flashbacks Kati Morton, LMFT | Licensed therapist, author, and mental health educator MY BOOKS Why Do I Keep Doing This? Traumatized Are u ok? ONLINE THERAPY BetterHelp connects you with licensed therapists online: https://betterhelp.com/kati Ask Kati Anything | Your mental health podcast Disclaimer: Educational content only, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for personal concerns. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Transcribe →