A mental health show where actual, licensed therapists open up about what they’re really thinking, while answering the internet’s most burning mental health questions. And by burning mental health questions, we mean the stuff you’re posting about anonymously on Reddit in the middle of the night.
These therapists aren’t holding back. They’re telling you what they really think including the things they’d never actually say in session. Each week, you’ll hear from expert therapists to break it all down: from emotional numbness and trauma, to self-worth and healing.
What Your Therapist Thinks is a weekly, limited run podcast hosted by Kristie Plantinga, founder of Best Therapists, and Felicia Keller Boyle, a licensed somatic therapist in private practice.
Brought to you by BestTherapists.com—a directory that vets mental health professionals so therapy-seekers can focus on fit, not quality.
Produced by PodVision.
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or watch full video episodes on the “What Your Therapist Thinks” YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@WhatYourTherapistThinks
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Dr. Lindsay Cavanagh, psychologist and marriage expert, joins Kristie and Felicia to unpack the strategies for long-term intimacy. They discuss the emotional aspect of desire: how mental load and systemic stressors can make or break the spark in parenthood. Some takeaways: • Why spontaneity fails when it meets the exhausting logistics of parenthood. • The difference between intentional pursuit and weaponized incompetence. • How to start integrating emotional safety into your connection. • How me...
Therapists Julie Goldberg joins Kristie and Felicia to unpack the mechanics of nervous system regulation and offer a practical, somatic perspective on mental health. They explore the range of human response from fight-or-flight to shutdown. This episode reframes anxiety and burnout away from personal failures to adaptive physiological responses designed to keep you safe. Some takeaways: • The differences between safety, mobilization and shutdown. • Why the goal isn't permanent calm but building ...
Financial therapist Lindsay Bryan-Podvin joins Kristie and Felicia to unpack the psychological roots of our bank accounts. They center the conversation on the emotional landscape of money: how one’s childhood and systemic failures, not personal incompetence, shape financial anxiety. Some takeaways: • Why "logic" fails when it crashes with childhood narratives and fears. • The difference between functional planning and toxic guilt. • How to stop restricting pleasure and start integrating joy into...
Erica Bonham, LPC, MA joins Kristie and Felicia to demystify EMDR therapy and how it actually works to heal the brain. They explore how bilateral stimulation mimics REM sleep to "unstick" traumatic memories trapped in the nervous system. Erica advocates for a bottom-up approach to recovery to address the somatic and emotional roots of distress. Some takeaways: • How bilateral stimulation helps the brain reprocess • Why a somatic approach is often more effective than cognitive insight • How to de...
Relationship expert Colette J. Fehr joins Kristie and Felicia to unpack the messy, neurological reality of moving on. They explore why breakups feel less like a simple goodbye and more like overcoming an addiction, creating a need for a strategic "reset" of the brain. Colette advocates for “no-contact” as a vital tool for nervous system regulation and reclaiming your sense of self. Some takeaways: Why missing an ex mirrors an addiction cycle and how to break it. How creating distance allows your...
Author and counselor KC Davis, LPC joins Kristie and Felicia to break down the shame often associated with a messy home. They unpack the life-changing mindset of moral neutrality, meaning that your ability to do laundry is not a reflection of your character. KC supports shifting away from society’s standards of "tidiness" to a sustainable approach that prioritizes your mental health. Some takeaways: • Why struggling with dishes doesn't make you a "bad" person • How to look at house chores as a w...
Jeff Guenther, LPC, also known as TherapyJeff, joins Kristie and Felicia to unpack everything on modern romance. They break down the dating world as a space that requires nervous system regulation and radical authenticity. Jeff advocates for a shift away from performing for validation to a more grounded approach focused on genuine curiosity instead of the pressure of finding "the one." Some takeaways: Why looking at first dates as fun instead of as a job interview leads to better matches How to ...
Dr. Rebeccah Lyle, a psychiatric nurse practitioner, joins Kristie and Felicia to explore the nuanced reality of ADHD in women and AFAB individuals. Together, they break down how social expectations of "good behavior" sometimes mask ADHD symptoms in girls, leading to life-changing diagnoses in adulthood when the pressures of career and motherhood reach a breaking point. Some takeaways: Reframing neurological differences as strengths Understanding the psychological toll of masking and how it inev...
Welcome to Season 2 of What Your Therapist Thinks. We were absolutely mind-blown by all the love we got from you in season 1 and so after some life changes like Kristie having a baby… we’re back! A mental health show where actual, licensed therapists open up about what they’re really thinking, while answering the internet’s most burning mental health questions. And by "real-world," we mean Reddit posts. Incognito Google searches. And the stuff you think about bringing up in therapy… but maybe do...
In this special episode, hosts Kristie Plantinga and Felicia Keller Boyle share their own mental health journeys and what led them to create "What Your Therapist Thinks". Drawing from Felicia’s professional background as a somatic therapist and Kristie’s lived experience as a long-time therapy goer, they discuss navigating chronic illness, childhood isolation, the "good kid" trap and why breaking the stigma of silence is the first step toward true healing. Some takeaways: The "Sensitive Kid to T...
In this special holiday episode, Katrina Mautner, a queer trauma-informed therapist, joins Kristie and Felicia to talk everything on setting boundaries with family. Drawing from Katrina’s anti-oppressive and harm reduction framework, they break down boundaries as a tool for connection—defining them as the distance at which you can love both yourself and the other person. Some takeaways: How boundaries actually allow us to deepen relationships and say "yes" more freely Surviving difficult moments...
Shelly Qualter, an expert counselor, joins Kristie and Felicia to talk everything on performance anxiety. Drawing from Shelly’s experience as an expert counselor, they break down performance anxiety as a fear-based emotion arising from uncertainty, feeling threatened, or being out of control. Some takeaways: The difference between helpful "nervous energy" and debilitating panic How externalizing anxiety (like giving it a name) fosters control and self-compassion Distinguishing between fact-based...
Jon Lee LMFT, joins Kristie and Felicia to talk everything on trauma and recovery. Drawing from Jon’s specialized niche in dissociative disorders, they break down trauma as a lasting adaptation of the nervous system. Some takeaways: The difference between a traumatic event and the physiological trauma response How healing is achieved through incremental progress and relational therapy Balancing traditional Western practices with community and ancient wisdom For sponsorships, please reach out to ...
Certified sex therapist Amalia Miralrio joins Felicia and Kristie to talk everything cheating. Drawing from her psychoanalytic expertise, Amalia breaks down infidelity as an unconscious drive. She explains where it can originate from and why this inner conflict leads to a struggle for autonomy. Some takeaways: How unconscious drives work as a motivation for cheating The connection between infidelity and early developmental issues How this inner conflict often leads to a repetition compulsion Bal...
Somatic trauma therapist Chloe Bean joins Felicia and Kristie to talk everything people-pleasing. Drawing from her expertise in high-functioning anxiety, Chloe breaks down people-pleasing as a learned trauma response. She explains how it can originate from a childhood need for safety and why prioritizing others leads to resentment and losing yourself. Some takeaways: How people-pleasing works as a survival habit The connection between people-pleasing and losing yourself How prioritizing others' ...
Licensed clinical social worker Kenny Levine joins Kristie and Felicia to explore the destructive power of contempt in relationships. Drawing from the Gottman method, Kenny breaks down the "Four Horsemen" of conflict, explaining how to identify warning signs like contempt and why addressing this early is a must for maintaining a healthy partnership. Some takeaways: How contempt is a red flag for a relationship's health The difference between resentment and contempt Maintaining a five-to-one rati...
Licensed marriage and family therapist Dr. Cassidy Freitas joins Kristie and Felicia to unpack everything on co-regulation in parenting. Dr. Freitas breaks down advice like how a parent's calm presence can regulate a child's nervous system, and the crucial difference between gentle parenting and permissiveness. Some takeaways: What it means to be a calm anchor for your child's nervous system The crucial difference between gentle parenting and permissive parenting Why understanding your own trigg...
Ketamine specialist Shannon York joins Kristie and Felicia to chat about the transformative world of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). Shannon breaks down how it’s different from purely medical ketamine treatment, debunks common myths, and explores how (KAP) can quiet the brain's default mode network to accelerate healing. Some takeaways: - Ketamine as a medical treatment vs. an assistant to psychotherapy - Why setting a clear intention is a non-negotiable step - How KAP can make you more r...
Licensed and multi-certified therapist Kathryn Wood joins Kristie and Felicia to demystify Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and intrusive thoughts. They break down what OCD actually is (and isn’t) and differentiate reality from pop psychology stereotypes. Some takeaways: The difference between a fleeting thought and a persistent, intrusive thought Why typical “advice” can actually make OCD worse How OCD can manifest: from perfectionism to fears of causing harm Learning to sit with uncertainty...
Licensed Therapist Mary Beth Somich joins Kristie and Felicia to demystify the concept of enmeshment in families, especially between mothers and sons. They look at what enmeshment actually means (hint: blurred boundaries and no space for individuality), where it comes from, and why it’s so tough to break free from. Some takeaways: How enmeshment manifests in real life The effects of enmeshment on adult romantic and family relationships Why setting boundaries can often feel like “rocking the boat...
Licensed therapist Ashley Hudson joins Kristie and Felicia to delve into parental emotional abuse, a complex topic often harder to identify than other forms of abuse. They discuss the unconscious reasons parents engage in such behavior, its long-term impact on children who often become "good kids" to cope, and why self-blame is common. The episode provides practical strategies, including setting quiet boundaries, identifying unmet needs, and finding external support, ultimately encouraging listeners to shed the "good kid" identity and embrace self-worth.
Drama Therapist Arianna Wheat joins Kristie and Felicia to explore emotional numbness as a coping mechanism for when we feel overwhelmed by intense emotions or past trauma. Arianna believes healing begins with connection—to one’s past, present, and with someone who sees them fully. Some takeaways: How to regulate your nervous system Hyper and hypo-arousal: what are they and why are they relevant? Challenging the “shoulds” Radical acceptance of your emotions For sponsorships, please reach out to ...
Therapist Halle Thomas joins Kristie and Felicia to unpack the exhausting reality of hypervigilance, a.k.a the survival mechanism rooted in trauma that has no "off switch." Through conversation and Reddit stories, they expose how hypervigilance manifests and leads to self-fulfilling prophecies in relationships. You’ll also hear validating, practical strategies for healing and why making mistakes is a crucial part of recovery. Some takeaways: Healthy vigilance vs hypervigilance originating from t...
Coming soon to your headphones! A mental health show where actual, licensed therapists open up about what they’re really thinking, while answering the internet’s most burning mental health questions. And by burning mental health questions, we mean the stuff you’re posting about anonymously on Reddit in the middle of the night. Each week, you’ll hear from expert therapists to break it all down: from emotional numbness and trauma to self-worth and healing. First episodes drop September 10. *Watch ...
Sep 04, 2025•2 min
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