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Trust and Thrive
Welcome to Trust and Thrive! I'm Tara Montazeri, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and host of the podcast. Through honest conversations, solo episodes, and interviews with guests, we explore topics related to mental health, relationships, OCD/anxiety, self-compassion, and the messy, nuanced parts of being human. I hope these conversations can help you feel curious, connected, understood, and less alone. Thank you for being here!
Instagram and TikTok: @trustandthrive; Email: trustandthrive@gmail.com
Episodes
328 episodes
328: I'm Officially Licensed! Life Updates, Reflections, & Embracing Uncertainty
And we're back! I'm excited to share that I've passed my state licensing exam and am now officially a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist! In this catch-up solo episode, I share some professional and personal updates (including s...
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327: Authenticity & Social Change in the Mental Health Space - with Shahem McLaurin, Licensed Therapist & Mental Health Educator
Shahem McLaurin is a licensed therapist, founder of an independent mental health agency, and public mental health educator whose work bridges clinical expertise with large-scale public engagement. They have led and participated in national ment...
326: Moral OCD & Scrupulosity - The Pressure to Always Be "Good"
In this solo episode, I talk about Moral OCD (also known as scrupulosity), a subtype of OCD that can make everyday decisions feel heavy and high-stakes. I discuss how thoughts related to this subtype can show up as intense guilt, fear of being ...
325: EMDR, Social Media, & Humanizing Therapy - with Jennifer Bohle, Trauma-Informed Therapist
Jennifer Bohle, MS, LPC, is a trauma-informed therapist, content creator, and high-achieving creative based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She works with perfectionistic women to build self-trust, confidence, and worthiness while learning to re...
324: Relationship OCD & Milestones (Anniversaries, Moving In, Engagement, & More)
Milestones like anniversaries, engagements, and other "big" moments can bring up pressure, doubt, and intrusive thoughts for those navigating relationship OCD. When there's a pressure of how a day "should" feel or look like, this can create an ...
323: Recognizing OCD & Anxiety Patterns in Childhood - with Natasha Daniels, Anxiety & OCD Therapist
Natasha Daniels has been an anxiety & OCD therapist for over two decades. She combines both her clinical expertise with her lived experience, raising her own three kids with anxiety and OCD. She is the creator of the website, Child OCD Ther...
322: Inner Child Work & Caring for Unmet Emotional Needs - with Dr. Kai Qiu, Author & Inner Child Healing Guide
Dr. Kai Qiu, MD is an inner child healing guide who traded the path to psychiatry for something he believes the mental health space is missing. He’s the author of Emotionally Immature Parents: A Recovery Workbook and combines psycholog...
321: Identity & Nuance as a Child of Immigrants
In this episode, I reflect on my identity as a child of immigrants during the week of Nowruz (Persian New Year). I share the range of emotions that have been coming up during this time, both personally and collectively. I also discuss the press...
320: Driving Anxiety, Derealization, & Depersonalization - with Lily Sais, School Psychologist Turned Anxiety Coach
Lily was a school psychologist for 12 years and served as the lead school psychologist in her district in Los Angeles. During that time, she also struggled deeply with anxiety, panic, and OCD.In 2018, Lily had a life-changing realization...
319: A Discussion on Grief & Loss - with Katie Pankonin, Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Katie Pankonin is a mental health therapist out of Phoenix, Arizona specializing in grief and relationships. Katie is passionate about normalizing the grief experience and finding relatable ways to humanize the "grief club" we all inevitably jo...
318: When OCD & Anxiety Show Up in Friendships
To wrap up this month's focus on relationships and OCD, I dive deep into how OCD and anxiety can show up in platonic relationships.In this solo episode, I talk about common friendship-based compulsions (including reassurance seeking, men...
317: Supporting a Loved One with OCD - Validation vs. Reassurance
Whether it's a partner, family member, or close friend, loving someone with OCD can feel confusing at times, especially when you want to be supportive but aren't sure how to respond to intrusive thoughts, anxiety, or repeated reassurance-seekin...
316: Anxiety, OCD, & the Pressure to Feel Certain in Relationships
To continue the theme of ROCD this month...in this episode, I talk generally about anxiety and OCD-related thoughts and behaviors in relationships. I lean into the importance of integrating self-compassion for yourself as you may experience the...
315: Relationship OCD & Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day is like the Super Bowl for Relationship OCD. It's the perfect opportunity for thoughts to creep in. There's pressure, comparison, thoughts that may feel louder. In this solo episode, I talk about how Valentine's Day,...
314: Black-and-White Thinking Around Morality & Showing Up Anyway
In this solo episode, I acknowledge how oppression and the systems we live in inherently impact mental health and one's sense of safety (if not directly), from what's happening in the US to the experiences of those living under oppression. ...
313: Unlearning What Being a Therapist "Should" Look Like - with Alex Thomson, Associate Professional Counselor
Alex Thomson (APC) is a therapist in Atlanta, Georgia. He specializes in OCD and anxiety. In his free time, he enjoys birding, cooking, and contributing to the @talktherapywithalex Instagram page, where he enjoys blending levity and humor with ...
312: Postpartum OCD & Realizing You're Not Alone - with Kaylee Bullen, OCD & Anxiety Therapist
Kaylee Bullen is a licensed therapist specialized in treating high anxiety and OCD, including postpartum OCD. Her practice services clients virtually across California, Michigan, and Louisiana. In addition to therapy, she also creates education...
311: Slowing Down to Start the New Year
And we're back! The new year can definitely bring up a lot of pressure and expectations, including feeling the need to set resolutions and figure everything out right away. In this episode, I share how I've been working on slowing down instead....
310: Managing Holiday Expectations, New Year Pressure, & Comparison
For those feeling mixed feelings around this time of year, for those feeling heavy and overwhelmed going into the new year, for those feeling the pressure to "do more"...this episode is for you. You made it through this year. Whether it was a w...
309: Becoming a Therapist While Living with OCD & Anxiety
In this solo episode, I share my personal journey of becoming a therapist and a bit of background on what inspired me to go to grad school. I also share what the experience has been like while living with OCD and my own mental health struggles....
308: End of the Year Mental Health Check-In
How is it December already? Time for a mental health check-in. Many of us are feeling overwhelmed right now, and I want to validate that now more than ever. In this solo episode, I share my recent experience with OCD, and how my tho...
307: Unpacking Burnout & the Pressure to Always Do More - with Dr. Sumi Raghavan, Clinical Psychologist & Former Psychology Professor
Dr. Sumi Raghavan is a cross-cultural clinical psychologist and former psychology professor who works with adults dealing with everything from trauma to burnout and chronic stress. She believes everybody has a culture and strives to be af...
306: OCD and the Fear of Being "Found Out"
In this solo episode, I open up about my personal experience with OCD and the fear of being “found out." I talk about the constant worry many with OCD have that they're not as good, moral, or put-together as others might think. I share how this...
305: Normalizing Therapy for Men & Reframing Vulnerability - with Dr. Audra Horney, Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Audra Horney is a licensed psychologist and founder of a thriving private practice devoted to men’s mental health. Known online as “the therapist for men,” she helps men untangle the emotional, relational, and cultural pressures that keep t...
304: ADHD, Relationships, & Rejection Sensitivity - with Dr. Carrie Jackson, Licensed Psychologist
Dr. Carrie Jackson is a licensed psychologist who specializes in ADHD, and has ADHD herself. She’s passionate about supporting parents of kids with ADHD through both her clinical work and an online course she created just for them. Dr. Carrie i...