This week Kati discusses attachment to our therapist. Why it can happen, what triggers the attachment and what we can do to better handle it. She also talks about suicidal ideation, and why it can sometimes be done to get more attention. Then Kati explains what the ethical implications are when we find out our therapist is seeing our significant other, and what visualizations can mean for our trauma response. This and so much more in this week’s episode! Xoxo Ask Kati Anything ep. 174 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT

Join Kati in her powerful new Online Workshop all about ATTACHMENT ⁠⁠⁠here

Audience questions:

1. I've been in therapy for the last 3 years and I've made some small improvements in myself but there's something I still struggle with and I'm a bit confused. I'm super attached to my therapist, with a big fear of abandonment...

2. I have a question about suicidal ideation. Recently I've been having thoughts that I want to attempt suicide, even though I don't want to actually succeed. I don't understand these thoughts because...

3. Hi Kati, my therapist is mint. I’ve been seeing her for two years but I’ve recently found out that the girl I’m dating also sees her for weekly sessions!

4. A few weeks ago in an AKA episode, you said “our brain doesn’t know the difference between us visualizing it and it really happening” when talking about ways to combat stage fright. I may be taking this out of context but I have a lot of repressed memories...

5. I struggle with dissociation (specifically chronic derealisation) and I’m not sure my therapist knows what this is. When I told her about it she just became obsessed with ‘parts work’ but I don’t have DID, I just feel really spacey.

6. In an old episode and there was a question which mentioned “acting out” a body memory or flashback. The actual question was about something else but I’ve had a similar experience...

7. I am currently in therapy and my therapist whenever I bring something difficult up asks me what it makes me feel and my emotions linked to it and I just don’t know, it’s like I go numb...

8. Can a person have a very low self-esteem and at the same time look down on other people and criticize them?

9. Why might I be having the urge to cut, even though I hate my scars and don't know that deep down I don't want to do it anymore?

Timestamps created by: @natalieedelstein

Q1 0:37 Q2 18:36 Q3 31:27 Q4 33:57 Q5 45:04 Q6 54:23 Q7 57:19 Q8 1:01:28 Q9 1:03:55

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"Why am I so afraid of abandonment?"

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