Trauma, Loss, and Becoming a Therapist | Morgan Olivia deAmezola, LMHC

Grief, Life Transitions & Authentic Therapy | Sheryl Woodhouse, LMFT

In this episode of Meet Your Mental Helper, host Jim interviews Sheryl Woodhouse—Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) based in Lake Forest, California, specializing in grief, loss, and major life transitions. She helps adults and families navigate trauma, identity, and relationship challenges by integrating authenticity, practical boundaries, and body-based support for meaningful change. Discover how Sheryl approaches survival, self-worth, and real-life healing—and shares practical insight on nervous-system regulation, boundary-building, and taking “baby steps” through change. This conversation highlights thoughtful, real-world perspectives on therapy, growth, and mental health. Timestamps 00:08 — Intro + Sheryl’s kidnapping survival story 00:55 — Fight/flight focus + how she tried to de-escalate 02:43 — Becoming a therapist later in life (Pepperdine at 35) Pepperdine University 04:54 — Why imperfection can make you more effective 11:50 — Authenticity + ethical self-disclosure in the therapy room 18:42 — “Nothing prepares you” + what helped her mentally disarm the moment 24:00 — Post-traumatic growth and the “pelts” of life experience 28:34 — “You’re not uniquely screwed up”—patterns, codependency, boundaries 42:05 — First steps when life changes overnight 49:35 — How to connect with Sheryl Woodhouse Connect with Sheryl Woodhouse * Website: borntobebalanced.com * Email: sheryl@borntobebalanced.com * Instagram: @borntobebalanced_swlmft * Facebook: Sheryl Woodhouse, LMFT – Born to be Balanced * LinkedIn: Sheryl Woodhouse LMFT * Location: Lake Forest, CA About the Host James Weisbecker, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor (Arizona, Colorado) Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (Ohio) Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Florida) Certified Life Coach (Global) Counseling Website: https://frameofheartcounseling.com/ [https://frameofheartcounseling.com/] Podcast Website: https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/ [https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/] Instagram: https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker [https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker] Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139 [https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9 [https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9] Email: james@meetyourmentalhelper.com [james@meetyourmentalhelper.com]

Compassion Fatigue & Nervous System Resilience | Natasha D’Arcangelo, LMHC, LPC

In this episode of Meet Your Mental Helper, host Jim interviews Natasha D’Arcangelo—QS, LMHC, LPC and Florida Qualified Supervisor based in Orlando, Florida, specializing in compassion fatigue education and resilience support for professional caregivers. She helps clinicians, nurses, educators, and other helpers navigate burnout and secondary trauma using practical nervous-system regulation and evidence-informed frameworks. Discover how Natasha approaches compassion fatigue, why self-care alone isn’t the solution, and how caregivers can use simple tools to interrupt stress responses in real time. This conversation highlights thoughtful, real-world perspectives on therapy, growth, and mental health. 00:00 — Welcome + Natasha’s background 00:47 — From teaching to clinical mental health counseling 04:10 — Why caregivers are vulnerable to compassion fatigue 08:51 — Why self-care isn’t the solution 11:14 — Compassion fatigue: burnout + secondary trauma 14:11 — ProQOL and measuring symptoms 15:01 — Self-regulation for sustainability in trauma work 22:05 — Nervous system “radar” and perceived threat 41:18 — Practical steps for caregivers under stress 50:57 — Brainspotting explained 59:24 — How to connect with Natasha D’Arcangelo Connect with Natasha D’Arcangelo * Business: LBee Health / D’Arcangelo Counseling & Consulting * Website: https://lbeehealth.com/ [https://lbeehealth.com/] * Website: https://natashalmhc.com/ [https://natashalmhc.com/] * LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-darcangelo/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-darcangelo/] * Email: natasha@natashalmhc.com * Location: Orlando, FL * Licensed: DE, FL, IA, ID, MT, OR, SC, WA About the HostJames Weisbecker, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor (Arizona, Colorado) Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (Ohio) Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Florida) Certified Life Coach (Global) Counseling Website: https://frameofheartcounseling.com/ [https://frameofheartcounseling.com/] Podcast Website: https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/ [https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/] Instagram: https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker [https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker] Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139 [https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9 [https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9] Email: james@meetyourmentalhelper.com [james@meetyourmentalhelper.com]

Anxiety & Fear Reframed | Matt Young, Life Coach & Hypnotherapy (RTT), NLP

In this episode of Meet Your Mental Helper, host Jim interviews Matt Young—life coach with qualifications in Hypnotherapy (RTT) and NLP based in London, UK, specializing in anxiety, fear, and helping people break emotional patterns that keep them stuck. He helps clients navigate panic, phobias, and performance-related fear using an integrative blend of mindset work, subconscious methods, and body-based strategies. Discover how Matt approaches reframing anxiety as an experience rather than an identity and shares practical insight on perception-driven fear, emotional imprinting, and why “state first, strategy second” changes everything. This conversation highlights thoughtful, real-world perspectives on therapy, growth, and mental health. 00:00 — Welcome + introducing Matt Young 00:32 — “You don’t have emotions… you use them” (reframing anxiety) 02:14 — Is anxiety a sign something matters? 03:56 — Anxiety and perception: why “small” things can trigger big fear 07:18 — Matt’s story: performance identity + internal fear 12:17 — Identity loss and rediscovering self beyond a role 16:07 — Detaching from external identities (work, status, roles) 30:20 — Body-first change: breath, posture, emotional state 39:07 — Getting unstuck from the past by finding meaning 46:25 — A practical takeaway: where do you want to be emotionally? 49:13 — How to connect with Matt Young Website: www.mattyounglc.com [http://www.mattyounglc.com] Instagram: @mattyounglc Email: matt@mattyounglc.com James Weisbecker, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor (Arizona, Colorado) Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (Ohio) Licensed Mental Health Counselor (Florida) Certified Life Coach (Global) Counseling Website: https://frameofheartcounseling.com/ [https://frameofheartcounseling.com/] Podcast Website: https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/ [https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/] Instagram: https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker [https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker] Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139 [https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9 [https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9] Email: james@meetyourmentalhelper.com [james@meetyourmentalhelper.com] 🎧 Watch the full episode on Meet Your Mental Helper — where counselors and coaches share insights that help us all grow. 💬 Find Matt Young on our directory at www.mattyounglc.com [http://www.mattyounglc.com]. ⏱️ Timestamps (6–10)🌐 Connect with Matt Young🎙️ About the Host

Trauma, Loss, and Becoming a Therapist | Morgan Olivia deAmezola, LMHC

In this episode of Meet Your Mental Helper, host James Weisbecker interviews Morgan Olivia deAmezola—LMHC and Qualified Supervisor based in Miami, Florida, specializing in trauma-informed counseling and recovery-oriented care. She helps adults navigate grief, addiction, and life disruption using lived experience, compassion, and clinical insight. Discover how Morgan’s unexpected path into therapy was shaped by loss, family rupture, and trauma, and how those experiences inform her work today. This conversation highlights thoughtful, real-world perspectives on therapy, growth, and mental health. 00:00 — Introduction 00:45 — Becoming a therapist by accident 01:20 — Family rupture as a turning point 01:55 — Choosing graduate school 02:08 — Entering the field through trauma 02:38 — How lived experience shapes clinical work 03:10 — The “fellow traveler” mindset 03:45 — How trauma informs compassion 04:20 — How to connect with Morgan Olivia deAmezola Website: https://www.mightylotuscounseling.com [https://www.mightylotuscounseling.com] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgand255/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgand255/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MorgandeAmezola.LLC [https://www.facebook.com/MorgandeAmezola.LLC] Instagram: @mightylotuscounseling Email: morgan@mightylotus.net James Weisbecker, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor (AZ, CO) Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (OH) Licensed Mental Health Counselor (FL) Certified Life Coach (Global) Counseling Website: https://frameofheartcounseling.com/ [https://frameofheartcounseling.com/] Podcast Website: https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/ [https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/] Instagram: https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker [https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker] Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139 [https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9 [https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9] Email: james@meetyourmentalhelper.com [james@meetyourmentalhelper.com] ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS🌐 CONNECT WITH MORGAN OLIVIA deAMEZOLA🎙️ ABOUT THE HOST

Psychosis, Neuroception, and Trauma-Informed Care | Camryn Bryan, Peer Support Specialist

In this episode of Meet Your Mental Helper, host Jim interviews Camryn Bryan—peer support specialist and graduate student therapy intern specializing in first episode psychosis care. Camryn works closely with individuals navigating psychotic symptoms, community education, and stigma reduction. Discover how Camryn approaches psychosis through a trauma-informed, nervous-system lens, including neuroception, regulation, and recovery-oriented care. This conversation offers thoughtful insight into psychosis, identity, and compassionate mental health support. 00:00 — Camryn’s role in first episode psychosis care 02:00 — What psychosis actually is 04:00 — Psychosis as a traumatic experience 07:40 — Substance use and psychosis 11:50 — Why early education matters 35:30 — Nervous system regulation and neuroception 49:10 — Redefining recovery 56:00 — Closing reflections 58:00 — How to connect with Camryn Bryan LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/camryn-bryan [https://www.linkedin.com/in/camryn-bryan] James Weisbecker, LPC Licensed Professional Counselor (AZ, CO) Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (OH) Licensed Mental Health Counselor (FL) Certified Life Coach (Global) Counseling Website: https://frameofheartcounseling.com/ [https://frameofheartcounseling.com/] Podcast Website: https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/ [https://meetyourmentalhelper.com/] Instagram: https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker [https://instagram.com/jamesaweisbecker] Facebook: https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139 [https://facebook.com/profile.php?id=61559260102139] LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9 [https://linkedin.com/in/james-a-weisbecker-1b28841b9] Email: james@meetyourmentalhelper.com [james@meetyourmentalhelper.com] TIMESTAMPSCONNECT WITH CAMRYN BRYANABOUT THE HOST