Intimacy From the Inside Out: Internal Family Systems and Healing Relationships

Intimacy From the Inside Out: Internal Family Systems and Healing Relationships

In this episode of Guided, we sit down with therapist Gray Manis to explore what it means to heal from the inside out. Gray specializes in Internal Family Systems (IFS), a powerful model of therapy that helps people understand and relate differently to the "parts" of themselves—protectors, critics, wounded places—and access the calm, compassionate core that IFS calls the Self. He also works with couples using Intimacy from the Inside Out (IFIO), helping partners understand how their internal worlds shape conflict, connection, and vulnerability. We talk about trauma, attachment, reactivity, and how EMDR can help reprocess painful memories that keep individuals and couples stuck. This conversation is both deeply practical and profoundly hopeful: healing is not about eliminating parts of ourselves—it's about leading them well. Whether you're a therapist, a couple wanting deeper intimacy, or someone trying to understand your own internal struggles, this episode will give you language and tools for real change.

When Words Aren't Enough: The Power of Creative Therapies

In this episode of Guided, Dr. Jones sits down with Chelsea Gibbs, LCSW, founder of Central Kentucky Creative Therapies, to explore the healing power of creativity, connection, and experiential work. Chelsea shares how she built a practice that extends beyond the traditional therapy room — integrating equine-assisted therapy, music therapy, art therapy, and other expressive modalities to help clients access healing in ways that words alone sometimes cannot. We discuss what actually happens in the nervous system when clients engage with horses, music, and art, and why these embodied approaches can be especially powerful for trauma, attachment wounds, and emotional regulation. Chelsea also offers insight into the clinical foundations behind creative therapies and how she integrates them with traditional psychotherapy. For therapists and helping professionals, this conversation also explores the entrepreneurial side of building a nontraditional practice — navigating community education, scope of practice, and the courage it takes to create something innovative. This episode invites us to consider: What if healing is not only something we talk about, but something we experience? Whether you are a clinician, creative, or simply someone curious about new pathways to growth, this conversation offers a fresh perspective on what it means to be guided toward wholeness.

More Than a Menu: Caring for the People Who Feed Us with Chef Ouita Michel

In this episode of Guided, we sit down with award-winning chef and restaurateur Ouita Michel for a powerful conversation about mental health in the culinary industry. Behind the beauty of a plated dish and the energy of a full dining room lies an intense, high- pressure culture—long hours, razor-thin margins, performance demands, and often unspoken struggles with anxiety, depression, substance use, and burnout. Ouita shares her passion for changing that culture. We talk about suicide prevention in the hospitality world, the realities of substance use in restaurant environments, and what it looks like to lead with compassion while still maintaining excellence. She reflects on how restaurant owners can create spaces where staff feel seen, supported, and safe enough to ask for help. This is a conversation about leadership, vulnerability, and the responsibility we carry for the people we guide—whether in kitchens, counseling offices, churches, or businesses. If you care about mental health, workplace culture, or the people who feed and serve our communities, this episode will move you.

Harnessing Hope: From Addiction to Advocacy

In this powerful episode of Guided, Dr. Jones sits down with Christian Countzler for an honest conversation about addiction, recovery, and hope. Christian shares his personal journey through addiction, the hard-earned path to sobriety, and how that experience led him to found Stable Recovery—an innovative program that helps people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction find meaningful, stable employment in the horse industry. Together, they explore how purpose, structure, and connection can support long-term sobriety, and how work with horses can become a pathway to healing, dignity, and lasting change.

Faith, Loss, and the Path to Healing: A Conversation with Dr. Melinda Moore

In this episode of Guided, host Dr. Jones speaks with Dr. Melinda Moore, a psychologist, suicide loss survivor, and national expert on suicide prevention and postvention. Together, they explore how faith communities can play a crucial role in supporting those affected by suicide, building resilience, and fostering hope in the aftermath of tragedy. Dr. Moore shares her personal journey of loss, the insights that have guided her professional work, and the importance of compassion, connection, and conversation in healing. This powerful discussion bridges science and spirituality—offering both practical wisdom and emotional depth for listeners who seek to better understand how faith and psychology can work together to prevent suicide and support survivors.