What It Really Takes to Become a Therapist (with Dr. Ashlei Petion)

What's Wrong With This Kid? (You're Asking the Wrong Question) With Lauren Haaas

This week we're joined by Lauren Haas — licensed school counselor, PhD candidate, adoptee, and author — for a conversation that will completely change how you think about the kids in your life. Lauren pulls back the curtain on what it actually means to be a school counselor today — and spoiler: it has nothing to do with helping kids pick their classes. For many children, Lauren is the only mental health support they will ever have access to. We talk about what kids are really going through, why the question shouldn't be "what's wrong with this kid" but "what is this kid trying to tell us," and how bibliotherapy — the therapeutic use of books — is helping children feel seen in ways that no other intervention can. Lauren also opens up about her own journey as an adoptee, and how writing her children's book A Heart That Holds It All was just as healing for her as it is for the kids who read it. If you've ever felt unseen as a child — or you're raising one — this episode is for you. Pick up Lauren's book A Heart That Holds It All [https://www.amazon.com/Heart-That-Holds-All-Adoption/dp/B0F4KP3297] on Amazon and Barnes & Noble, and follow her on Instagram @thecognitivecounselor. [https://www.instagram.com/thecognitivecounselor/] ollow us on Instagram @dreavita [https://www.instagram.com/dreavita/] and YouTube Shorts @DreavitaDreamedia [https://www.youtube.com/@DreavitaDreamedia/shorts] and start your mental health journey at dreavita.com [https://dreavita.com/]

Everyone Has ADHD Now — Or Do They? The Truth With Bri Franklin

This week we're joined by Bri Franklin, Licensed Mental Health Counselor and adult ADHD specialist, for one of our most personal episodes yet. Bri didn't always know she had ADHD — and neither did we. In this conversation we get into what ADHD actually is (and what it isn't), why so many high achievers go undiagnosed for years, and why the biggest barrier to living well with ADHD isn't a lack of strategies — it's shame. We talk about the "should" trap, what self-acceptance actually looks like in practice, and why ADHD isn't a deficit of attention but a different way of moving through the world. Plus — Katie may or may not have gotten an unofficial diagnosis by the end of this episode. If you've ever felt like you're too much and not enough at the same time, this one's for you. Follow us on Instagram @dreavita and start your mental health journey at dreavita.com

What It Really Takes to Become a Therapist (with Dr. Ashlei Petion)

What does it really take to become a therapist? Dr. Ashlei Petion — licensed professional counselor, counselor educator, and adjunct professor at the College of New Jersey — joins hosts Andrea Piazza and Katie Roletto to pull back the curtain on counselor education, mentorship, and burnout in the mental health field. From volunteering on the National Suicide Hotline as an undergrad to earning a PhD in counselor education and supervision, Ashlei shares the parts of the journey grad school doesn't prepare you for: financial barriers, unpaid internships, the exploitative "associate" years, and why trauma counseling still isn't required to graduate. The conversation digs into how mentorship changes everything — especially for students from underrepresented communities — why so many counselors burn out before they fully arrive, and Ashlei's case for universal healthcare as a mental health issue. Plus a first look at her 2027 book on generational trauma and healing. Follow Dr. Ashlei Petion on Instagram @drashleipetion [https://www.instagram.com/drashleipetion/] and at drashleipetion.com [https://www.drashleipetion.com/]. Follow us on social media @dreavita [https://www.instagram.com/dreavita/], and start your mental health journey today at dreavita.com [https://dreavita.com/].

What You Inherited: Childhood PTSD, Family Trauma & Healing with Darly Sebastian

In this episode of What Does My Therapist Really Think?, we're joined by Darly Sebastian — licensed professional counselor, life coach, and author of Echoes of a Ghost Child and Unbecoming — to talk about relationship trauma, childhood PTSD, emotional inheritance, and inner child healing. If you've ever wondered why you keep repeating the same patterns in love, work, or family — this one's for you. Echos of a Ghost Child is available on Amazon [https://www.amazon.in/Echoes-Ghost-Child-Darly-Sebastian-ebook/dp/B0GX2VP98Y] Follow us on social media @dreavita [https://www.instagram.com/dreavita/], and start your mental health journey today at dreavita.com. [https://dreavita.com/]

The Many Parts of Being a Woman (with Holly Wigmore)

Therapist Holly Wigmore — a queer- and trans-affirming counselor and IFS-certified candidate practicing in Oregon and California — joins Andrea and Katie for a wide-ranging conversation on what it actually means to be a woman in the therapy room, as both patient and provider. They unpack intersectionality, why so many clients specifically seek out women therapists, the historical baggage of certain diagnoses, the quiet suffering of men under masculinity's weight, and how Internal Family Systems ("parts") work helps people hold their own multitudes. Plus a hard look at high-functioning anxiety — the kind that gets praised as competence — and Holly's parting line you'll want to write down: stop equating your worth with how much you can tolerate. Follow us on social media @dreavita, and start your mental health journey today at dreavita.com.