Empowered Through Compassion

In this conversation with Kathy Couch and Tamera Brown, we explore what it really means to move from competition to collaboration in the healing professions. Too often, therapists feel pressured to compare themselves to others, and start feeling better than, less than, not enough... As Tamera beautifully describes, healing is a tapestry: and all of our voices matters. Every one of us, whether we are therapists or clients (or both) ...

In this episode, I sit down with Stacy Ruse, LPC, a visionary therapist and consultant who beautifully integrates EMDR with Internal Family Systems (IFS), weaving in somatic and spiritual practices.

Stacy describes how the structured brilliance of EMDR provides a foundation for trauma healing, while the soulful depth of IFS brings creativity, compassion, and transformative energy into the process. Together, these approac...

In this heartful and energizing conversation, we sit down with the incredible Natalie Deering—therapist, podcast host, IFS practitioner, and authenticity advocate—to explore the beautiful intersections between healing, creativity, and connection.

Natalie shares the story of how she first discovered Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and how it’s become not just a modality but a life practice. We also dive into what inspired her ...

In this episode of Empowered through Compassion, we dive into the heart of relational healing with Maureen Bethea and Christina Frank—two dynamic Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists who specialize in EMDR intensives for couples. With decades of experience, they offer a trauma-informed, attachment-centered approach that helps partners not only heal past wounds, but also rediscover one another through deeper empathy and connectio...

What if healing doesn’t come from expertise, but from empathy? In this transformative conversation, David Polidi sits down with internationally renowned Motivational Interviewing trainer Stephen Andrew to explore what it really means to be present with someone in their pain.

Stephen challenges the dominant medical model of mental health—assess, diagnose, and treat—and offers instead a radically human approach: one rooted in compass...

🎙️ New Episode: Healing Trauma, Dismantling Whiteness, and Building Community with David Archer

Welcome back to Empowered Through Compassion. You won’t want to miss this powerful and deeply inspiring episode.

Today, I sit down with David Archer, Today, I sit down with David Archer, the author of Anti-Racist Psychotherapy, an EMDR therapy trainer and complex/racial trauma specialist from Montreal Canada and the founder of Archer Th...

This heart-warming episode begins with Laura sharing a tender story about baking bread—and from there, we journey into the rich, soulful themes of her new book. We explore Internal Family Systems (IFS), the sacred essence of everyday life, and the profound connection between healing trauma, cultivating presence, and embodying wholeness. Together, we reflect on the beauty and challenge of truly being with our emotions and honoring t...

What if Mike White’s The White Lotus is more than just a dark comedy television series?

What if we look at it as a striking exploration of the human psyche?

In a recent episode of the Empowered Through Compassion podcast, I had the pleasure of speaking with Sunni (Sun) Brown, a dynamic IFS practitioner, author of Gamestorming and The Doodle Revolution, and creator of Deep Self Design™. Together, we unpacked the psychological archit...

This week’s episode is nothing short of extraordinary.

I am honored to welcome back IFS master Bob Falconer, and to be joined for the first time by Chelsea Rose Odhner and Dr. Jonathan S. Rose, two deeply insightful scholars and practitioners of Emanuel Swedenborg’s spiritual teachings.

Together, we explore the sacred intersection of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and The Spirituality of Swedenborg. We all entered into conversation ...

In this deeply meaningful episode, I had the honor of speaking with Ralph De La Rosa—teacher, healer, and radiant soul—who sadly passed away earlier this week.

This episode is a tribute to Ralph’s immense heart and the wisdom they so generously shared with the world. We explored the profound intersections of Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Buddhism, and I was struck by Ralph’s grace, clarity, and the gentle light they brought to ...

Part 2 with Julian: The Inner Sauron – Power, Possession, and the Psyche In this episode, Julian and I dive deep into The Lord of the Rings through the lens of psychology, mythology, and IFS (Internal Family Systems). We explore the dark allure of Sauron—not just as a villain seeking domination through the One Ring, but as a metaphor for the exiled forces within us all.

Julian draws powerful parallels between Sauron and the Aztec g...

It was an absolute pleasure speaking with Julian Bermudez, founder of Psychedelic Integration, about his deeply personal and powerful approach to healing. In this episode, Julian shares his philosophy of psychedelic integration as a sacred return—a coming home to the body, to the heart, and to the version of ourselves that existed before life’s pain forced us to adapt.

Through his lived experience and the space he holds for o...

I'm excited to share the latest episode of the Empowered Through Compassion podcast: Part 2 of my conversation with Sid Friedman. In this episode, we delve deeper into Sid's innovative approach to Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy and his exploration of nonduality.

Sid discusses his YouTube channel, Effortless IFS with Sid Friedman, where he offers insights into integrating IFS with nondual awareness. You can explore his videos...

This episode is part 1 of a beautiful conversation with my dear friend Sid Friedman. Sid-- along with Laura Patryas-- have created an incredible IFS Facebook community called "IFS Nondual Community."

Sid shares with me, and the audience, what is meant by nonduality, and how this intersects with IFS. We also speak about NVC-- Nonviolent Communication, and I learn what a pro Sid is in this type of communication!

This was such a fun a...

NBC’s This Is Us has resonated deeply with audiences, largely because of its heartfelt portrayal of family, trauma, and healing. The show masterfully illustrates how each family member carries their own pain while remaining connected through love, resilience, and acceptance. It reminds us that healing isn’t about erasing the past—it’s about learning to live with it, together.

In this episode,...

Welcome to this episode, where I am thrilled to be speaking with Athena Phillips about dissociation, the difference between coaching and therapy, and Back to the Future. 

Athena shares how IFS and EMDR can be complementary, but caution is needed when using EMDR with dissociative clients.

Coaching and therapy have distinct roles, and in her business Athena has found a very symbiotic relationship between coaches and therapist for cli...

Therapist Burnout – A Systemic Issue, Not a Personal Failure

🎬 Pop Culture Connection: Severance – A dystopian take on work-life balance

How our ‘work part’ is at risk of burnout when it is not given the emotional support and care that it needs.

📊 Burnout by the Numbers:

60-66% of workers report feeling burnout

30-70% of therapists experience burnout (especially post-pandemic)

Some exploitive telehealth companies pay a s low ...

A re-uploaded version.

Welcome to this new episode. I had the pleasure of speaking with Ned Johnson, a wonderful educator, author, and speaker. He is an expert in helping teens and tweens navigate the transition to adulthood, by bringing them the tools they need to be both successful and happy. 

Ned has found that some of the leading causes of poor test performance is the stress and pressure that youths feel to get good grades, and...