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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
341 episodes
340: The Pressure to Optimize Everything
In this solo episode, I explore the pressure many of us feel to optimize everything: our careers, productivity, relationships, interests, self-care, rest, therapy, and even "healing." I talk about how time-consuming and how mentally...
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339: Is It Reflection or Rumination?
In this solo episode, I break down some differences between rumination and reflection, and explore why rumination can be so sneaky. Using both personal and professional experiences, I share how we can start to recognize rumination, and discuss ...
338: The Lasting Impact of Parentification and Childhood Responsibility - with Sarah Ann Saeger, Internal Family Systems Therapist
Sarah Ann Saeger, LPC, LCADC, LAMFT, is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist who specializes in complex trauma, addiction, and relationships. She is trained in IFS and an array of somatic,attachment-informed therapies. Sarah shares psycho...
337: Healing After Pet Loss and Honoring Our Animals - with Beth Bigler, Pet Loss Grief Counselor
When society says "it's just a pet," Beth Bigler says "your grief is valid and profound."As a double-certified Pet Loss Grief Counselor and founder of Honoring Our Animals, Beth is a pioneering voice in pet loss support, offering persona...
336: Relationship OCD and Romanticizing the Past
We're back with a solo episode on Relationship OCD. In this episode, I talk about a common experience many with ROCD may experience: romanticizing the past - whether that's the beginning of your current relationship, past relationships, or past...
335: Making Space for Grief After Diagnosis
In this solo episode, I talk about the grief that can come with receiving a diagnosis, or simply understanding patterns and behaviors that have impacted your day-to-day life. I share my personal experience in hopes of normalizing and validating...
334: Self-Reparenting and Childhood Complex Trauma - with Barlas Günay, Registered Psychologist and Mindfulness Teacher
Barlas Günay is a registered psychologist and certified meditation and mindfulness teacher based in the Netherlands, who over the past 13 years has guided thousands of people across the globe through profound journeys of healing and self-discov...
333: Noticing Urgency and Slowing Down
In this solo episode, I share recent life updates and reflect on what I've been noticing come up for me lately. After a few weeks of travel and starting my own practice, I've recognized the ways anxiety has shown up amidst an inconsistent sched...
332: Emotional Intelligence and Navigating Uncomfortable Emotions - with Genny Rumanczik, Creator of The EQ School
Genny Rumancik is a mental health advocate and educator, and the creator of The EQ School, which offers courses and online resources to improve self-awareness, navigate emotional self-management, and shift relational patterns for healthier rela...
331: Real Event OCD and Replaying the Past
In this solo episode, I discuss the topic of Real Event OCD, a subtype of OCD that can involve rumination around something that actually happened in the past. This can come with feelings of guilt, shame, and doubt.Real Event OCD can leav...
330: The Nuance of Mental Health and Showing Up Online
In this solo episode, I reflect on a topic that’s been on my mind and explore the complexity and nuance of mental health, especially in online spaces.As someone who shares both personal and professional experiences with OCD and anxiety, ...
329: Mental Compulsions and the Invisible Side of OCD - with Mary Feldman, OCD and Anxiety Therapist
Mary Feldman, A-LPC/MHSP, is an OCD & anxiety therapist, educator, and speaker with lived experience. Mary first encountered OCD in middle school, which became the catalyst for a deep commitment to psychology, leadership, and systemic chang...
328: I'm Officially Licensed! Life Updates, Reflections, and 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...
327: Authenticity and Social Change in the Mental Health Space - with Shahem McLaurin, Licensed Therapist and 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 and 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, and 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 and Milestones (Anniversaries, Moving In, Engagement, and 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 and Anxiety Patterns in Childhood - with Natasha Daniels, Anxiety and 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 and 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...