RECOVERable: Mental Health and Addiction Experts Answer Your Questions

Can daily microaggressions physically alter your nervous system? Discover the hidden somatic toll of racial trauma, cultural stress, and systemic discrimination. Host Terry McGuire is joined by trauma therapist, clinical social worker, and author Simone Saunders (MSW, RSW) to explore how cultural identity directly impacts emotional and physical well-being.

Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/

Simone Saunders, MSW, RSW, is a registered trauma therapist, the founder of The Cognitive Corner, and the author of Where Do You Feel That in Your Body?. Known globally for translating complex mental health and somatic concepts into accessible everyday tools, Simone joins RECOVERable to dismantle pervasive myths around Black mental health, intergenerational trauma, and the silent cost of the "Strong Black Woman" schema. She also breaks down why "colorblind" therapy is a major clinical red flag that invalidates lived experiences.

In this candid conversation, Terry and Simone unpack how cumulative racial microaggressions keep the nervous system in chronic hypervigilance—leading to anxiety, depression, and somatic tension. They discuss the cultural pressures placed on Black men around emotional vulnerability and hypermasculinity, how spiritual faith and psychotherapy can powerfully coexist, and how you can break generational cycles when family members refuse to acknowledge past pain. You will also discover practical guidance on therapist green flags, the key distinction between cultural competence and cultural humility, and the healing power of community support.

If this episode resonates with you, please give it a thumbs up, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone navigating their own healing journey. How do you balance family expectations, faith, and personal wellness? Join the conversation in the comments below!

Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction: What Is Culturally Responsive Care?
02:20 – Myth vs. Fact: Racism, Trauma, and Mental Health
06:06 – Why "Colorblind" Therapy Causes Clinical Harm
09:16 – Somatic Signs of Microaggressions and Stress
13:21 – Why Mental Health Is Taboo in Black Communities
18:08 – Finding Culturally Responsive Support & Community
20:46 – Black Men, Hypermasculinity, and Vulnerability
25:40 – Deconstructing the "Strong Black Woman" Schema
29:02 – Integrating Spiritual Faith with Psychotherapy
35:28 – Healing Intergenerational Trauma Without Family Support

Questions the Video Answers:

What is racial trauma and how does it affect mental health?

How do daily microaggressions affect the body and nervous system?

Why is mental health often considered taboo in Black and brown communities?

What are the physical and somatic symptoms of chronic racial stress?

Why is a "colorblind" approach in therapy harmful to clients?

What is the Strong Black Woman schema and how does it lead to burnout?

What cultural expectations prevent Black men from seeking mental health therapy?

Can you go to therapy and still maintain a strong religious or spiritual faith?

How can spiritual practices and psychological therapy work together?

Do you need a therapist of the same racial background to heal from racial trauma?

How do you heal intergenerational trauma if your parents refuse to go to therapy?

What is the difference between cultural competence and cultural humility in mental healthcare?

What green flags should you look for when choosing a culturally responsive therapist?

What are practical ways to practice rest when you are used to carrying everyone else?

#BlackMentalHealth #RacialTrauma #MentalHealth

Can your body hold on to trauma long after your mind has made sense of it? In this episode of RECOVERable, host Terry McGuire sits down with trauma therapist and author Simone Saunders to separate somatic therapy facts from social media hype.

Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/

Somatic therapy is body-based therapy that bridges the connection between the mind and body. It is far more than deep breathing or relaxation. Simone explains why you can understand your trauma intellectually and still feel stuck: your nervous system may not have caught up. She breaks down what it means that the body holds trauma, from muscle bracing and jaw tension to gastrointestinal issues, and how complex trauma like childhood emotional neglect builds up over time. Using the window of tolerance, she describes how hyperarousal (fight or flight, panic, anger, impulsivity, substance use) and hypoarousal (freeze, numbness, dissociation) can show up in adulthood. She also shares how the sweating she once thought was hyperhidrosis eased as her nervous system became more regulated.

You will learn what actually happens in a somatic therapy session, why consent and pacing matter, and why touch is optional. Simone explains why people who over-intellectualize often seek this work, how procedural learning drives automatic reactions, and why the real goal is choice. She compares top-down approaches like CBT, DBT and ACT with bottom-up approaches like somatic therapy and EMDR, talks about how long somatic therapy takes, whether online therapy works, and why viral techniques like ice-water face dunks are not quick fixes. She also suggests free starting points, such as noticing your hunger, thirst and sleep cues, and recommends resources from Janina Fisher, Pat Ogden and The Embody Lab.

Whether you have tried talk therapy and still feel stuck, or you are curious about healing trauma through the body, this conversation offers a clear and practical guide, plus a reminder that you are not a project to be fixed.

Subscribe to RECOVERable for more expert insights on mental health recovery, leave your questions in the comments below, and share this video with someone who is ready to reconnect with their body.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro: Somatic Therapy Myths vs. Facts

06:00 – What Is Somatic Therapy?

07:20 – What Can Somatic Therapy Treat?

12:00 – What Does It Mean That the Body Holds Trauma?

16:00 – The Window of Tolerance: Hyperarousal vs. Hypoarousal

19:40 – Can Emotional Stress Cause Physical Symptoms?

21:40 – What Happens in a Somatic Therapy Session?

30:20 – Over-Intellectualizing: Why Insight Isn't Enough

34:20 – Procedural Learning and the Power of Choice

39:20 – Top-Down vs. Bottom-Up Therapy

42:20 – The Risks of Viral Somatic Trends

Questions the Video Answers:

What is somatic therapy and how does it work?
Is somatic therapy just deep breathing and relaxation?
Is somatic therapy backed by science?
Do you have to relive your trauma for somatic therapy to work?
Does somatic therapy involve physical touch?
What is the difference between somatic therapy and talk therapy?
What does it mean that the body holds trauma?
Why can't I move on even though I understand my trauma?
What is the window of tolerance?
Can trauma cause physical symptoms like sweating, tension or stomach problems?
What happens in a somatic therapy session?
What is the difference between top-down and bottom-up therapy?
How long does somatic therapy take to work?
Are viral somatic techniques on social media safe?

#SomaticTherapy #TraumaRecovery #MentalHealth

Can you beat OCD by choosing not to act on your fear? In this episode of RECOVERable, host Terry McGuire sits down with OCD specialist Jenna Overbaugh to break down exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold-standard therapy for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/

OCD is a two-part problem, obsessions and compulsions, and ERP is the two-part solution. Jenna, who brings both professional and lived experience of OCD, explains why the response prevention piece matters as much as the exposure, how safety behaviours and avoidance quietly keep the anxiety cycle going, and why traditional talk therapy can turn into verbal rumination and reassurance seeking that make OCD worse. You'll learn the difference between a thought and thinking, how to resist invisible mental compulsions by catching the question and not answering it, what an extinction burst is, and why the inhibitory learning model focuses on learning something new instead of waiting for anxiety to drop.

Jenna walks through how a therapist builds an exposure hierarchy using a 0-10 SUDS scale, why exposures should be collaborative and start at challenging but manageable, and how to postpone or reduce a compulsion when anxiety spikes. She covers how ERP compares with CBT, DBT and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), what research says about ERP alongside SSRI medication, whether there is a cure for OCD, the most common mistakes people make with self-directed ERP at home, and the red and green flags to look for in an ERP therapist. She also shares her own experience with false memory OCD as a new parent and describes lesser-known subtypes such as real event OCD and relationship OCD.

Whether you live with intrusive thoughts, love someone who does, or are wondering if ERP is right for you, this conversation shows how to make your life bigger so OCD gets smaller.

Subscribe to RECOVERable for more expert insights on mental health recovery, leave your questions in the comments below, and share this video to help someone with OCD know they are not alone.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro: Why ERP Is the Gold Standard for OCD

02:40 – ERP Myth or Fact Lightning Round

09:00 – What Is Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP)?

18:40 – What Does Sitting With Anxiety Feel Like?

23:20 – How Do You Stop Mental Compulsions?

26:00 – Habituation vs. Inhibitory Learning

33:00 – Is ERP the Same as CBT or Exposure Therapy?

42:00 – What Is an Exposure Hierarchy?

45:40 – Can You Do ERP at Home by Yourself?

51:40 – How to Find a Qualified ERP Therapist

54:00 – Lesser-Known OCD Subtypes

Questions the Video Answers:

What is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy?
Why is ERP considered the gold standard treatment for OCD?
Does ERP make you face your worst fear on the first day?
Can talk therapy make OCD worse?
What is the difference between ERP and exposure therapy?
Is ERP the same as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)?
How do you stop mental compulsions like rumination?
What is an extinction burst in OCD treatment?
What is the inhibitory learning model in ERP?
What is an exposure hierarchy and how does a SUDS scale work?
Is ERP more effective when combined with SSRI medication?
Is there a cure for OCD?
Can you do ERP therapy at home by yourself?
What should you look for in an OCD therapist who does ERP?

#ERPTherapy #OCDRecovery #MentalHealth

Do your intrusive thoughts mean you have OCD, or does everyone have them? In this episode of RECOVERable, host Terry McGuire sits down with OCD therapist Jenna Overbaugh to explain what obsessive-compulsive disorder really is, beyond neatness and hand-washing.

Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/

Host Terry McGuire sits down with Jenna Overbaugh, a therapist who spent nearly ten years treating the most severe OCD and anxiety cases at Rogers Memorial Hospital's residential program. She also has her own lived experience of OCD, which began after her son was born. Jenna explains that OCD is a two-part problem. Obsessions are unwanted intrusive thoughts, images, impulses or feelings that are ego-dystonic, meaning they go against your values. Compulsions are the physical or mental rituals you use to ease the anxiety those thoughts cause. She covers common types of OCD, including harm OCD, contamination OCD, hit-and-run OCD, 'just right' OCD, scrupulosity and sexual intrusive thoughts. She also explains Pure O and hidden mental compulsions such as rumination and self-reassurance. Finally, she covers how OCD differs from anxiety, why it's called 'the doubt disorder', and how genetics and stress combine to cause it.

Jenna describes exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD. She explains why you should treat OCD like an allergy, not a diet, and how the simple phrase 'I'm having the thought that...' helps you step back from a frightening thought. She also points to the International OCD Foundation as a place to start. For families, she explains how reassurance and family accommodation feed the OCD cycle, and how to set caring, collaborative boundaries instead.

Whether you are wondering if your own thoughts point to OCD or you are supporting someone you love, this conversation offers clarity, practical tools and real hope: OCD is one of the most treatable mental health conditions.

Subscribe to RECOVERable for more expert insights on mental health recovery. Leave your questions in the comments below, and share this video to help someone who thinks they're the only one with these thoughts.

Chapters:

00:00 – Intro: OCD Is More Than Neatness

09:20 – OCD Myth or Fact Lightning Round

16:20 – What Is OCD? Obsessions vs. Compulsions

19:00 – Types of OCD: Harm, Contamination, Just Right & More

21:40 – What Is Pure O? Mental Compulsions Explained

29:20 – Isn't Everyone a Little OCD?

33:00 – OCD vs. Anxiety: What's the Difference?

34:40 – What Causes OCD and How Is It Diagnosed?

39:00 – ERP Therapy: How to Manage Intrusive Thoughts

46:40 – The OCD Cycle Explained

58:20 – Family Accommodation: What to Say Instead

Questions the Video Answers:

What is OCD and what are its symptoms?
Is OCD just about neatness, hand-washing, and germs?
What does ego-dystonic mean in OCD?
Does having an intrusive thought mean you secretly want to act on it?
Isn't everyone a little OCD?
What is Pure O OCD?
What are the most common types of OCD?
What is the difference between OCD and anxiety?
What causes OCD and is it hereditary?
How is OCD diagnosed?
What is exposure and response prevention (ERP) therapy?
How do you manage intrusive thoughts without making them worse?
Does reassuring someone with OCD help or make it worse?
How can family members support a loved one with OCD without accommodating it?

#OCD #IntrusiveThoughts #MentalHealth

Is your drive to be flawless really high standards, or anxiety in disguise? On RECOVERable, host Terry McGuire and licensed therapist Marc Azoulay answer your top questions about perfectionism, burnout, and the all-or-nothing trap.
Find mental health and addiction treatment near you: https://recovery.com/
Host Terry McGuire sits down with licensed psychotherapist Marc Azoulay, who runs Men's Therapy Online and studied Buddhist psychology at Naropa. Marc explains perfectionism as a coping strategy driven by anxiety and fear that ties your worth to your performance, and how it differs from healthy high standards. In a myth-or-fact round and beyond, they cover procrastination as the other side of the perfectionism coin and how chronic stress affects the body. They also look at how parenting, Western culture, and social media feed perfectionism, how it relates to anxiety and OCD, and why it can lead to depression that feels like emptiness rather than sadness.
Instead of telling you to just chill out, Marc explains how to overcome perfectionism by fixing the "hole in the bucket," which means facing the core insecurity underneath. He compares CBT, which helps you cope and quiet the inner critic, with deeper psychodynamic therapy. He also explains why you need a support system and why you don't have to wait for rock bottom to start therapy.
Whether you are a high achiever who felt nothing after a big promotion or a procrastinator waiting for the perfect moment, this conversation offers a way to keep your ambition without burning out.
Subscribe to RECOVERable for more expert insights on mental health recovery, leave your questions in the comments below, and share this video with someone who is exhausted from trying to be perfect.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
01:40 – Perfectionism Myths vs. Facts
11:40 – What Is Perfectionism?
14:20 – What Causes Perfectionism? Parenting, Culture & Social Media
18:40 – Is Perfectionism a Mental Illness? Anxiety & OCD
24:40 – Does Perfectionism Cause Depression?
30:00 – How Perfectionism Shows Up as Procrastination
33:20 – How to Overcome Perfectionism: Fixing the Hole in the Bucket
43:20 – CBT vs. Psychodynamic Therapy for Perfectionism
50:20 – High Standards or Perfectionism? The Takeaway
Questions the Video Answers:
What is perfectionism?
What is the difference between perfectionism and having high standards?
Is perfectionism a mental illness?
What causes perfectionism?
Can parenting cause perfectionism in children?
How does social media fuel perfectionism?
What is the difference between perfectionism, anxiety, and OCD?
Does perfectionism cause depression?
How does perfectionism show up as procrastination?
Can perfectionism affect your physical health?
Are you born a perfectionist or can you unlearn it?
How do I overcome perfectionism?
Is CBT effective for treating perfectionism?
Will I lose my edge if I stop being a perfectionist?
#Perfectionism #HighFunctioningAnxiety #MentalHealth