Podcast Summary: “Why We Started a Mental Health Podcast? Felicia & Kristie’s Origin Story”

Podcast: What Your Therapist Thinks
Hosts: Felicia Keller Boyle & Kristie Plantinga
Date: January 14, 2026

Episode Overview

In this candid and heartfelt debut, Felicia and Kristie share their personal mental health journeys and explore what inspired them to launch “What Your Therapist Thinks.” The episode centers on breaking the silence and stigma associated with mental health, providing a window into the hosts’ lives, and setting the tone for a show where therapists and therapy seekers openly discuss the “burning” questions about mental health—especially the ones most people are afraid to ask.

Introduction to the Podcast and Hosts

[00:38 - 01:25]

• The podcast aims to demystify therapy and mental health by addressing anonymous questions often posted online:

  “The Internet loves throwing around words like gaslighting, narcissist, and toxic. But most of the time they're getting it wrong.” — Felicia, [00:38]

• Felicia is a licensed somatic therapist; Kristie is the founder of BestTherapists.com and an avid therapy participant.
• They emphasize transparency, evidence-based discussion, and humor as essential values for the show.

Felicia & Kristie’s Mental Health Journeys

The Stigma and Power of Vulnerability

[01:25 - 02:53]

• Both hosts acknowledge the nerves and vulnerability behind sharing their stories.

  “One of the best things I think we all can do as people who are passionate about mental health is break the stigma of silence… The more people that can break the stigma, the better.” — Kristie, [02:03]

• They hope their honesty encourages listeners to share their own experiences.

Kristie’s Story: From Sensitive Kid to Therapy Advocate

[02:59 - 05:34]

• Kristie describes herself as a “big feelings kid” who was always comfortable with deep emotion.

  “I was very much in the kind of sensitive kid, good listener to therapist pipeline.” — Kristie, [03:18]

• Despite thinking she would become a therapist, she realized direct work wasn’t for her, but she built her career supporting therapists and the therapy field.

First Encounters with Therapy

[05:41 - 06:57]

• Kristie’s first therapy session was at 19; she wishes she’d started sooner.
• Many of her therapists taught her something different, shaping her journey.

Felicia’s Story: The Lone Helper

[06:27 - 11:49]

• Felicia grew up as the “functional” oldest child in a single-parent home.

  “My struggles were serious, but just less obvious because I was very ‘functional.’” — Felicia, [07:06]

• She was often focused on helping others and slow to seek help for herself.

  “How do we reduce suffering? We work with people as soon as possible…” — Felicia, [09:12]

• Emphasizes importance of early intervention and the invisible forms of suffering.

The Challenges of Accepting Personal Struggles

Learning to Prioritize Self-Care

[11:49 - 13:33]

• Both hosts discuss difficulty in accepting their own needs and putting themselves first.
• Important realization: suffering is not always obvious but equally valid.

The Role of Diagnosis and Stigma

[13:33 - 17:47]

• Kristie received a depression diagnosis in college, which was both validating and stigmatizing.

  “It made me feel more confident… but also, there is so much stigma around depression.” — Kristie, [16:48]

• The emotional impact of the label, especially in unsupportive environments.

Healing Approaches and What Actually Helped

Beyond Therapy: Groups, Somatics, and Recovery

[26:16 - 29:47]

• Felicia’s healing largely occurred outside the therapy office: through somatic practices, meditation, Al-Anon recovery groups, and community.

  “A lot of my mental health healing has actually happened outside of therapy... I found a lot of healing through that, and then occasionally supplemented by therapy.” — Felicia, [27:48]

• She later sought therapy intentionally for specific needs (e.g., trauma, in-person sessions).

The Importance of Trying Different Therapists and Modalities

[29:47 - 31:28]

• Kristie emphasizes “try out different therapists”; fit and approach can change over time.

The Power of Therapeutic Relationships and Group Work

[31:28 - 32:11]

• Felicia highlights the value of the therapeutic relationship and “evocative” dynamics as healing tools.
• Both speak about the transformative role of supportive relationships outside of therapy (partners, friends).

Integrating Spirituality & Redefining Belief

Evolving Spiritual Beliefs

[32:11 - 35:16]

• Both hosts grew up in religious environments and discuss reclaiming spirituality on their own terms.
• Choosing beliefs that help, not harm:

  “I can have beliefs, and I can just choose to believe stuff because I want to.” — Kristie, [33:09]

The Freedom to Change and Grow

[35:56 - 37:12]

• Felicia describes one of her greatest breakthroughs:

  “One of the biggest mental health breakthroughs that I’ve had has been accepting that it’s okay for me to change.” — Felicia, [36:27]

• Letting go of perfectionism and the pressure to never make mistakes.

Practicing Self-Compassion and Accepting Imperfection

Overcoming People-Pleasing and Internalized Criticism

[37:21 - 40:16]

• Both reflect on people-pleasing tendencies and how therapy helped them build an “inner voice” of self-compassion.

  “Loving yourself despite messing up, I think that kind of forgiveness and that self-talk is something than I mastered because I almost have like my therapist...the angel on my shoulder.” — Kristie, [37:56]

• Felicia shares how hard it can be to offer oneself the compassion easily given to others.

Misconceptions About Therapy and Healing

[40:16 - 41:13]

• Therapy isn’t about “making hard stuff go away”—it’s about building tools to face inevitable difficulties.

  “Life continues to be hard...but that's also what therapy does, it gives you those tools to catch yourself.” — Kristie, [40:16]

Why This Podcast Exists: Mission & Vision

Bringing Lightness and Levity to Hard Topics

[42:11 - 44:14]

• The podcast aims to balance serious topics with humor and accessibility:

  “We knew that we wanted to handle, like, serious mental health topics, but we also knew we wanted it to be fun, which is, like, not always an easy thing to do.” — Felicia, [42:28]

• Making difficult conversations more approachable breaks stigma.

Making Therapy Less Mysterious

[44:14 - 45:17]

• Kristie, as a therapy-goer, stresses the show’s role in demystifying what’s happening in therapy and what therapists are really thinking.

Creating Change, One Listener at a Time

[45:17 - 46:45]

• The hosts wish to inspire listeners to seek help early.

  “Ideally, I think it would make me so happy to know that this did shape someone’s mental health journey…just anything like that, that feels really special to me.” — Kristie, [45:43]

Memorable Quotes & Key Insights

On Receiving Help

“It took a while for me to feel like it was okay to turn the spotlight back on myself.” — Felicia, [11:15]

On Recognizing Your Own Needs

“Choosing to be the person that had to be okay, I absolutely prioritized other people’s feelings above my own.” — Kristie, [24:41]

On Breaking the Stigma

“The more people that can break the stigma, the better. I always think if more people got therapy, the world would be so much better.” — Kristie, [02:40]

On Self-Compassion

“Loving yourself despite messing up...that kind of forgiveness and that self-talk is something that I mastered because I almost have like my therapist, she's like the angel on my shoulder.” — Kristie, [37:56]

On Changing Your Mind

“I'm allowed to just think and believe differently. And that freedom is so healing. That is so incredibly healing.” — Felicia, [37:00]

Important Timestamps

• Felicia’s overview of suffering and early family dynamic: [06:27]
• Kristie’s initial depression diagnosis and stigma: [15:12 - 17:47]
• Felicia’s first experience in therapy (and crying right away): [21:16 - 21:25]
• Key therapeutic insight on sadness and acceptance: [21:30 - 22:53]
• Why Kristie didn’t become a therapist but supports the field: [05:09]
• Discussion on the mission, vision, and tone of the podcast: [42:11 - 44:14]

Closing Thoughts

Felicia and Kristie reaffirm their commitment to honesty, vulnerability, and practical support. Their hope is not only to break down barriers to mental health care, but also to make frank, relatable conversations about mental health the norm—not the exception.

“All we've done is be honest here about ourselves and our lives. And we thank you for your kind attention.” — Felicia, [46:45]

The hosts invite listener questions, feedback, and engagement—promising lots more expert guests, tough conversations, and humor in future episodes.

For questions or topic requests, connect on Instagram (@yttpodcast) or visit BestTherapists.com.