From Both Sides Of The Couch: Self-Awareness, Psychology & Mindfulness for Women

Have you ever felt like your sense of worth was something you had to earn - and never quite got there?
 
In this episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch, I sit down with Dawna Daigneault, lead author of Understanding Self-Worth: A Guide to Worth Conscious Theory and Psychotherapeutic Practice, to explore what self-worth actually is and where it comes from. Together, we unpack the difference between lost self-worth and denied self-worth, why so many of us grow up building on the wrong foundation, and how birthright self-worth changes everything.
 
Instead of asking, "What did I do wrong?" try asking, "Was my worth simply not honored?" Because your worth was never gone - it was just denied.
 
Listen to this week's episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: What Is Self-Worth, Really? Psychotherapist Unpacks the Science of Feeling Worthy
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dawna Daigneault, EdS, LPC, CCTP, is the lead author of Understanding Self-Worth: A Guide to Worth-Conscious Theory and Psychotherapeutic Practice. Her work focuses on helping people recognize patterns of denied self-worth and understand how those patterns shape the way they think, feel, and relate to others.
 
Website: https://understandingself-worth.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zestoflife-llc-0a116537b/ 
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#SelfWorth #EmotionalHealing #MentalHealth

Hey friends! In this solo episode, we're closing out the three-part nervous system series with a deep dive into overthinking — what it really is, why you can't just stop it, and what actually helps.
 
Overthinking isn't a flaw or a discipline problem. It's your nervous system trying to solve for uncertainty and discomfort. This episode breaks down why that loop keeps going, why distraction alone isn't enough, and offers practical, body-based strategies to interrupt the cycle and start to feel safer from the inside out.
 
If you're exhausted from going around and around and never quite getting anywhere, take a moment for yourself and join me on From Both Sides Of The Couch.
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#Overthinking #NervousSystemRegulation #AnxietyRelief 

Hey friends! In this solo episode, we're continuing the three-part nervous system series with a deep dive into hypervigilance — what it really is, where it comes from, and what actually helps.
If your body won't relax even when everything is fine, if you're constantly scanning for what could go wrong, or if calm moments feel harder to trust than chaotic ones, this episode explains why that happens and offers five practical, body-based strategies to slowly begin to shift it.
If you're exhausted from always being one step ahead and waiting for the next bad thing to happen, take a moment for yourself and join me on From Both Sides Of The Couch!
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#Hypervigilance #NervousSystemRegulation #AnxietyRelief 

Hey friends! Have you ever found yourself functioning just fine on the outside, but something still feels off? In this episode, Dr. Laurie Bruce opens a three-part series on the nervous system, exploring why feeling safe is not the same as having a stable life, and what that difference means for how we feel day to day.
 
She walks through three subtle but common signs of nervous system dysregulation: hypervigilance, shutdown, and overthinking, and why these patterns are not character flaws. They are adaptations. And understanding that is where real change begins.
 
If you have ever wondered why you can't seem to relax, why your mind won't stop, or why you feel flat even when life looks fine -- this episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch is for you.
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#NervousSystemRegulation #EmotionalDysregulation #Hypervigilance 

Hey friends! Today, I'm diving into a topic that touches so many of us in deeply personal ways: family estrangement between parents and their adult children.
 
I walk through six relationship patterns I see frequently in my clinical work that quietly erode family connection over time — from treating boundaries as rejection and using guilt as a communication tool, to refusing to acknowledge past mistakes and talking more than you listen. These patterns apply to both sides of the estrangement.
 
I also speak directly to therapists about how to help clients begin initiating these hard conversations — and to individuals who are doing their own work, wherever you are in this process.
 
If you are estranged from a parent or an adult child, or if you're working with clients who are, take a moment for yourself and join me on From Both Sides Of The Couch — Why Family Relationships Break: What Parents vs. Adult Children Really Think.
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#FamilyEstrangement #ParentAdultChildRelationship #FamilyHealing 

Hey friends! Today, I am joined by Lydia Wasserbauer, a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, EMDR-trained therapist, and certified trauma professional, to explore the unique mental health challenges that athletes face — both during and after their competitive careers.
 
Lydia draws on 12 years as a competitive swimmer and her clinical expertise to unpack the pressures athletes carry that rarely make it into the conversation: the anxiety and perfectionism baked into high-performance culture, the disordered eating patterns that quietly develop in aesthetic and weight-class sports, and the identity crisis that can follow a career-ending injury or retirement.
 
Whether you're a current athlete, a former one, a parent, a coach, or simply someone who has struggled with perfectionism, body image, or the question of who you are beyond what you do — this conversation is for you.
 
If you've ever felt like your worth was tied to your performance, or wondered who you are now that the game is over, take a moment for yourself and join us on From Both Sides Of The Couch — When the Athlete Hurts: Mental Health Beyond the Game.
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Lydia Wasserbauer is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC) and Certified Trauma Professional (CTP) dedicated to helping individuals navigate through difficult life events and stressors. She works from a person-centered lens, offering an inclusive, compassionate, and non-judgmental space to everyone she works with. Her clinical focus centers around empowering and supporting you as you navigate personal journeys toward improved mental wellness.  She draws from a variety of therapeutic approaches, including person-centered talk therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness-based therapy.
 
Connect with Lydia!
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lydia-wasserbauer-lpc-19a347258/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lydiawasserbauer/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lydia.wasserbauer/ 
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#AthletesMentalHealth #SportsAndMentalHealth #EMDRTherapy

Do you love someone who’s struggling—and feel like nothing you do is working?
 
In today’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch, Dr. Laurie Bruce sits down with Gianna Yunker—a triple board certified family systems specialist, intervention professional, and person in long-term recovery—to explore what a modern, love-centered intervention actually looks like.
 
Together, they unpack why families get stuck in enabling patterns driven by fear, how to move from the role of fixer or warden back to simply being a parent or partner, and what it takes to help a loved one get into treatment—without shame, blame, or punishment. Gianna also shares real stories from her practice, red flags to watch for when choosing a treatment center, and the powerful letter-writing process at the heart of her intervention approach.
 
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to support someone through addiction, mental health challenges, disordered eating, or other crisis patterns, this conversation offers both clarity and hope.
 
Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: When Helping Hurts: Supporting a Loved One Without Losing Yourself
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development.
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/
 
Gianna Yunker is a triple board certified family systems specialist and intervention professional. She is the founder of Interventions With Love, a family-centered practice dedicated to supporting families impacted by addiction, complex mental health challenges, disordered eating, and other major life transitions. Gianna is also a person in long-term recovery and is passionate about helping families move from fear-based enabling to love-centered action.
 
Learn more about Gianna:
Website: https://www.interventionswithlove.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/giayunker
FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/people/Interventions-With-Love/61555475775211/
IG Page: https://www.instagram.com/giannaiwl/
#Intervention #AddictionRecovery #FamilySystems #MentalHealth #Enabling #Boundaries #TreatmentCenter #FamilyHealing

Hey friends! Today, I am joined by Dr. April Tillery, a board-certified obstetrician-gynecologist, to explore the perimenopausal and menopausal phases in women. We discuss the symptoms that can arise during perimenopause, how healthcare providers rule out underlying conditions, and the range of treatment options available to support patients.
 
Join us as we unpack the controversial WHI study, which led to widespread misunderstanding around HRT, and take a closer look at how hormones can help support disease prevention. We also explore how HRT decisions are made based on estrogen levels, and Dr. Tillery walks us through the 12-week program they offer to help women navigate perimenopause symptoms.
 
This episode highlights why every patient is different and why a personalized, holistic approach to care is essential.
 
If you’ve been feeling confused, dismissed, or simply curious about what’s happening in your body during this stage of life, take a moment for yourself and join us on From Both Sides Of The Couch — HRT Explained: What Every Woman Should Know About Perimenopause & Menopause.
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. April Tillery is a Board Certified OB/GYN and the Founder of Embrace The Change, LLC. She helps women—especially those with lifelong struggles with weight—finally get answers and lasting results. Through virtual, one-on-one coaching, she provides compassionate, evidence-based care that goes beyond willpower to address real metabolic and hormonal root causes. Together, you’ll create a plan that supports your body, your lifestyle, and your long-term wellness.
 
Connect with Dr. April Tillery:
Website: https://www.drapriltillery.com/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/april-tillery-63211076/ 
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#Perimenopause #Menopause #HormoneHealth

Have you ever had a moment where words simply couldn’t capture what you’re feeling?
In today’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch, we unpack how music can be a powerful tool for expressing and regulating our inner experiences—helping to soothe emotions and support our healing process.
Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, as we explore the two primary ways people use music, how self-soothing can become a form of self-validation, and how music can help us access and process misunderstood emotions, such as anger. I’ll also share songs I personally turn to depending on what I’m feeling, along with practical ways you can begin to soothe your own emotional world.
Instead of asking yourself, “What do I feel like listening to?” try asking, “What do I need right now?” When used intentionally, music can help regulate your nervous system and bring you back to a place of balance.
 
Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: Feel, Release, Heal: The Emotional Power of Music
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#MusicTherapy #EmotionalHealing #SelfRegulation

Hey friends! Have you ever been in a session where a client shares a conflict, and something about their story feels deeply familiar—as though it is touching a part of your own? In this episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch, we explore one of the most challenging aspects of therapy: how our unresolved experiences can shape the way we listen and respond to our clients, and the strategies that can help us gently bring our attention back to the client’s work.
 
Join me, Dr. Laurie Bruce, clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach, as we acknowledge that therapists carry their own struggles even as we hold space and compassion for others. We’ll explore what happens when our personal world intersects with our role as therapists, and how to recognize the warning signs that we may be feeling triggered.
 
A good therapy session requires the ability to discern what belongs to us and what belongs to our clients. Compassion is most effective when it is grounded in clarity.
 
Listen to this week’s episode of From Both Sides Of The Couch: When Empathy Becomes a Blind Spot: Understanding Therapist–Client Overlap
 
Enjoy this episode? Follow us on your favorite podcast platforms and leave a 5-star review!
 
Dr. Laurie Bruce is a clinical psychologist and mindfulness coach. She received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2000. Her expertise is in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), which is a treatment that combines both traditional cognitive and behavioral strategies with Eastern Mindfulness practices. She is also a Certified Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapist and completed a year-long intensive training through the Integrative Psychiatry Institute. She’s passionate about the safe, legal, and ethical use of psychedelic medicines to help address trauma, mood, and anxiety disorders and for personal and spiritual development. 
 
Follow her socials:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61555258666969 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drlauriebruce/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-bruce-psy-d-0201277/ 
 
Visit her website.
Website: https://www.drlauriebruce.com/ 
  
#TherapistLife #EmotionalAwareness #CompassionWithBoundaries