In today's episode, Social Media Impacts How We See Ourselves, we discuss how Social media can make an ordinary life feel like it is losing a race with no rules, and that sinking feeling is often a predictable brain response, not a personal failing. I break down why the highlight reel hits our nervous systems so hard and share small, practical ways to scroll with more clarity and less shame. 

• the gap between what is real and what is posted 
• how algorithms and curated highlights keep our attention 
• the brain’s social comparison instinct meeting an impossible scale 
• dopamine loops, low attention span, and why stopping feels hard 
• why kids and teens can feel the impact even more 
• body and beauty distortion from filters, FaceTune, and AI 
• the reset scroll and recalibrating what “normal” looks like 
• success and lifestyle distortion and the missing behind-the-scenes work 
• why social media is not a diary and why that matters 
• relationship and belonging distortion and the sting of exclusion 
• a simple pre-post pause to check your motive 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, Building A Gym That Feels Like Family with Gleidson and Anna Carolina Cutis,  we pick up Poney’s journey from Brazil to Texas and hear how a jiu-jitsu gym becomes a faith-driven home for people who need real connection. 

Spur of the moment I asked Anna Carolina ( Carol),  Poney's wife, to join us! The audio isn't perfect, but the story and heart and amazing, so don't let the audio deter you. 

Carol joins us to share what it takes to build marriage, community, and meaning through immigration delays, leadership lessons, and heartbreaking loss. 
• meeting Carol at a San Antonio dance hall and navigating cross-cultural dating 
• learning how to “do a real date” for the first time 
• moving to Wimberley without knowing how renting works in the US 
• a last-chance apartment moment that feels like a miracle 
• finding the courage to share faith and the role mentors play 
• Greg’s support and the leap from a small startup gym to a long-term home 
• years of long-distance marriage and the green card process 
• building a jiu-jitsu community that serves like a family 
• the Fighteria Way and a 12-month character development plan for kids 
• creating books for toddlers, kids, and parents to reinforce values at home 
• grieving the loss of Zoe and leaning on God and community to heal 

Show Guests

Gleidson Moraes Cutis ("Poney") is the Founder, Head Coach, and Professor whose life story is a testament to the transformative power of faith, discipline, and martial arts. Born in Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—one of the country's most challenging communities—he overcame a childhood surrounded by violence, bullying, and limited opportunities by dedicating himself to martial arts from an early age.

A graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education, Gleidson combines academic knowledge with decades of elite competitive and coaching experience. He is also a Certified Life Coach through Febracis, holds certifications in Emotional Intelligence and Business High Performance, and is an accomplished public speaker. His passion for personal growth and faith is reflected in his books, On the Mat With Christ and A Verdadeira Luta, where he shares the lessons that have shaped his life and purpose.

A devoted Christian, husband, and father, Gleidson believes that true strength is built through character, perseverance, and service to others. His coaching philosophy extends far beyond competition, focusing on helping students develop confidence, resilience, discipline, and integrity both on and off the mat.

Gleidson began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2002 and Kickboxing in 2006. He has been teaching martial arts since 2008 and holds the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and 1st Dan Black Belt in Kickboxing. He has also served as a multiple-time IBJJF referee, contributing to the sport at the highest levels.

Throughout his competitive career, Gleidson has earned numerous prestigious titles, including World Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, NAGA World Champion, Brazilian Cup No-Gi Champion, two-time Brazilian Champion, two-time Rio de Janeiro Champion, three-time Fight 2 Win Pro Champion, three-time Submission Hunter Champion, multiple-time AJP Champion, and multiple-time IBJJF Champion.

In mixed martial arts, he compiled an amateur record of 2-0 before achieving a professional record of 7-4, competing internationally across Brazil, the United States, Canada, and Italy for respected organizations including WOCS, GSF, WebFight, Hero FC, RFA, LFA, ACB, and the UFC.

Today, Gleidson's greatest passion is helping others discover the same life-changing benefits that martial arts gave him. Having experienced firsthand how training can provide purpose, confidence, and hope, he is committed to empowering students of all ages and skill levels to become stronger physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

He lives by two guiding principles: "We are what we allow ourselves to be; we make our choices, and our choices make us," and "You are not special—you are unique." Through every class, seminar, and mentorship opportunity, Gleidson strives to help others realize their unique potential and begin their own journey of transformation.

Carol Cutis

Born in Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil, Carol Cutis is a life coach, speaker, entrepreneur, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner whose passion is helping others discover their purpose, build resilience, and live with authenticity. Married to Professor Gleidson "PoneY" Cutis, Carol serves alongside her husband as they continue building Fighteria—a community dedicated to developing stronger people on and off the mats.

Carol's journey began in sales at just 16 years old, where she discovered a natural ability to connect with people. Although she grew up shy and insecure, she always believed she was meant for something greater. That desire for growth led her to continually invest in her personal and professional development through an ESL Exchange Program in the United States, Emotional Intelligence training, advanced sales education, certification as a Power of Action Speaker, and certification as a Life Coach, completing more than 50 hours of coaching training.

In 2017, Carol made the life-changing decision to participate in an exchange program in the United States. The experience expanded her perspective and ignited a lifelong commitment to personal transformation. One year later, she stepped onto the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu mats for the first time and immediately fell in love with the art. Through Jiu-Jitsu, she found much more than a sport—she discovered confidence, discipline, resilience, and a deeper belief in herself.

Her life took another remarkable turn when she met Professor Gleidson "PoneY" Cutis. Their shared faith, values, and passion for serving others brought them together, and in January 2019 they opened Fighteria. 

Today, she is grateful to work alongside him in growing Fighteria while encouraging others to embrace perseverance, trust God's timing, and become the strongest version of themselves—physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually.

You can connect with Poney and Carol at: Fighteria, On Instagram, and on Facebook. You can also find his books, The Fighteria Way Collection, on Amazon. 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, From Rio De Janeiro To Texas: How One Man Rebuilt His Life with Gleidson Cutis, We sit down with Gleidson “Poney” Cutis and trace the long road from a violent childhood near Rio de Janeiro to building a new life in Texas through discipline, faith, and community. We talk honestly about transition stress, identity beyond achievement, and how bravery is built one uncomfortable decision at a time. 

• transition stress and why connection predicts emotional well-being 
• growing up around violence in Brazil and how “normal” can still be traumatic 
• bullying, early martial arts training, and finding confidence through competition 
• the identity trap of trophies and the grief of never celebrating wins 
• choosing a college “plan B” while pursuing professional MMA 
• a faith turning point in the US that breaks an old family pattern 
• arriving in Texas with almost no money and almost no English 
• marriage strain, divorce, depression, and home not feeling like rest 
• losing a job tied to visa status and getting unexpected support to start again 
• a promise to share what God has done and the start of a bigger purpose

Show Guest:

Gleidson Moraes Cutis ("Poney") is the Founder, Head Coach, and Professor whose life story is a testament to the transformative power of faith, discipline, and martial arts. Born in Belford Roxo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil—one of the country's most challenging communities—he overcame a childhood surrounded by violence, bullying, and limited opportunities by dedicating himself to martial arts from an early age.

A graduate with a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education, Gleidson combines academic knowledge with decades of elite competitive and coaching experience. He is also a Certified Life Coach through Febracis, holds certifications in Emotional Intelligence and Business High Performance, and is an accomplished public speaker. His passion for personal growth and faith is reflected in his books, On the Mat With Christ and A Verdadeira Luta, where he shares the lessons that have shaped his life and purpose.

A devoted Christian, husband, and father, Gleidson believes that true strength is built through character, perseverance, and service to others. His coaching philosophy extends far beyond competition, focusing on helping students develop confidence, resilience, discipline, and integrity both on and off the mat.

Gleidson began training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2002 and Kickboxing in 2006. He has been teaching martial arts since 2008 and holds the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and 1st Dan Black Belt in Kickboxing. He has also served as a multiple-time IBJJF referee, contributing to the sport at the highest levels.

Throughout his competitive career, Gleidson has earned numerous prestigious titles, including World Champion in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, NAGA World Champion, Brazilian Cup No-Gi Champion, two-time Brazilian Champion, two-time Rio de Janeiro Champion, three-time Fight 2 Win Pro Champion, three-time Submission Hunter Champion, multiple-time AJP Champion, and multiple-time IBJJF Champion.

In mixed martial arts, he compiled an amateur record of 2-0 before achieving a professional record of 7-4, competing internationally across Brazil, the United States, Canada, and Italy for respected organizations including WOCS, GSF, WebFight, Hero FC, RFA, LFA, ACB, and the UFC.

Today, Gleidson's greatest passion is helping others discover the same life-changing benefits that martial arts gave him. Having experienced firsthand how training can provide purpose, confidence, and hope, he is committed to empowering students of all ages and skill levels to become stronger physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.

He lives by two guiding principles: "We are what we allow ourselves to be; we make our choices, and our choices make us," and "You are not special—you are unique." Through every class, seminar, and mentorship opportunity, Gleidson strives to help others realize their unique potential and begin their own journey of transformation.

You can connect with Poney at: Fighteria,  On Instagram, and on Facebook. You can also find his books, The Fighteria Way Collection, on Amazon. 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, Supporting Dyslexia with Casey Harrison, we name dyslexia as a different way the brain processes language and talk about how misunderstanding it can create shame, anxiety, and nightly homework blowups. We share practical ways to spot early signs, use tech without letting it replace learning, and support kids with accommodations while protecting their sense of self. 

• dyslexia as a language-based learning difference that is common and often misunderstood 
• early indicators in speech and language plus why early intervention helps 
• the brain circuitry of reading and why structured literacy builds a faster pathway 
• tech pros and cons, including handwriting, audiobooks, and cognitive offloading with AI 
• day-to-day impacts beyond reading class, including word retrieval and social confidence 
• what to look for at school, screeners, and why dyslexia varies by person 
• home strategies for homework fatigue, smaller chunks, reading questions aloud, and more grace 
• trauma-informed “iceberg” view of dyslexia, anxiety, negative self-talk, and identity 
• “glows and grows” to balance strengths with skill-building 
• adults recognizing dyslexia later and the way it can run in families 
• Casey’s framework from Teaching Beyond the Diagnosis, including metacognition and self-advocacy 

Show Guest:

Casey Harrison is recognized both nationally and internationally as a dyslexia specialist and literacy educator, with more than 28 years of experience supporting individuals with language-based learning differences. She holds credentials as a Licensed Dyslexia Therapist (TX), Certified Academic Language Therapist (ALTA), and Certified Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist (IDA). Harrison currently serves as Vice President of Outreach on the Executive Board of the Academic Language Therapy Association (ALTA).

Harrison received the Aylett R. Cox Educator Award from ALTA in recognition of her significant contributions to academic language therapy. She is the founder of The Dyslexia Classroom® and Wimberley Dyslexia & Learning Center, where her work is based on evidence-based, multisensory structured language education and informed by extensive clinical experience.

Harrison is the author of Teaching Beyond the Diagnosis: Empowering Students with Dyslexia, and her work has been published in various professional magazines and educational websites focused on dyslexia, literacy development, and inclusive instructional design. She shares across social media under @thedyslexiaclassroom as the number 2 global dyslexia influencer, raising awareness of dyslexia and supporting the whole child. She also co-hosts the Together in Literacy podcast, which was ranked third among the Best 60 Literacy Podcasts of 2025.

Casey is known for integrating research, practice, and purpose by employing a student-centered, diagnostic, and emotionally supportive approach that reflects the scientific, technical, and creative aspects of academic language therapy.

You can connect with Casey on:

Instagram - www.instagram.com/thedyslexiaclassroom

FB - www.facebook.com/thedyslexiaclassroom

YouTube - www.youtube.com/@thedyslexiaclassroom

And find her book, Teaching Beyond the Diagnosis and listen to her podcast, Together in Literacy

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, Invisible Loss and Grief with Roxanne Watson, we name the quiet grief that hides under a good life and talk about why burnout, numbness, and restlessness can be signs of unacknowledged loss. We sit down with Roxanne Watson to put language to invisible grief and share gentle ways to start healing without judging yourself.

• disenfranchised grief and why unsupported loss lingers
• invisible loss in motherhood, midlife, and the mental load
• marriage erosion as a real form of grief
• the imagined future that quietly becomes impossible
• how grief disguises itself as burnout, anxiety, or emotional flatness
• why naming a loss can feel scary and why it often brings relief
• first steps like journaling, silence, and talking to someone you trust
• meaning-making as a way to live with grief over time

Show Guest:

Roxanne Watson is a Licensed Professional Counselor based in Austin, Texas, specializing in grief, particularly the losses that go unacknowledged. She primarily works with women carrying what she calls invisible grief, such as the slow erosion of a marriage, the loss of identity within motherhood, and futures that quietly become impossible. She is the creator of The Invisible Loss, a clinical and public framework for the grief that lives beneath high-functioning lives, and the founder of @withroxannewatson on Instagram.

You can connect with Roxanne at: counselingaustin.com
and on Instagram: @withroxannewatson

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we talk about everyday courage and the quiet moment when a long-held dream stops being “someday” and becomes a real choice. Vanessa Longoria shares how she left a successful medical path to open The Mac, a process-based arts and crafts studio in McAllen built on joy, alignment, and community. 

• noticing the “Is this it?” whisper and taking it seriously 
• carrying a creative dream for over a decade while raising a child 
• pausing a goal without abandoning it, then using the years as preparation 
• navigating the cultural and emotional weight of leaving a family business 
• moving fast once the match is lit, from idea to leases and an LLC 
• handling imposter syndrome, low attendance days, and the vulnerability of workshops 
• building self-concordance, where values and daily life finally match 
• holding boundaries around discounts, pricing, and the value of women’s work 
• leaning on a supportive partner and sharing the load at home and at work 
• creating a community table that helps kids and adults feel seen and connected 

Show Guest: Vanessa Castañeda Longoria

Vanessa is a mom, former medical professional, and creative entrepreneur who proves that it's never too late to pursue the dream that's been waiting on your heart. After more than 15 years in the medical field, she made the courageous decision to leave behind a successful career and step into a vision she had nurtured for over a decade.

Together with her husband, Vanessa recently opened The MAC: The Main Arts and Craft Studio in McAllen, Texas—a vibrant, process-based art studio where children are encouraged to explore, create, and engage their senses in a joyful, judgment-free environment. The MAC has quickly become a welcoming space for families seeking meaningful, creative experiences that foster imagination and connection.

Today, Vanessa joins us to share her inspiring journey of rewriting her career story, balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship, and building a thriving community through the transformative power of art. Whether you're dreaming of a career change, looking for encouragement to take a leap of faith, or simply believe in the importance of creativity, this conversation is sure to inspire.

You can connect with her at: Facebook @theMACmcallen, Instagram @theMACmcallen , www.theMACmcallen.com

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Today's Episode: Perimenopause can feel like you’re unraveling at 3 a.m., but the changes are often hormonal and deeply explainable. We talk with Mary Parker about the biology behind mood swings, sleep problems, rage, brain fog, and the confusing reality of “normal” labs that still don’t match how you feel. 

• perimenopause as a hormonal transition that affects sleep, mood, and focus 
• why many women start noticing symptoms earlier than expected 
• how long perimenopause can last and why symptoms come in cycles 
• why women get caught off guard and dismissed as “too young” 
• perimenopause rage and how it can strain marriages and family life 
• andropause and how men’s hormone shifts can collide with ours 
• surprising symptoms and the reality of 300-plus possible signs 
• lab ranges versus optimal levels and why symptom tracking matters 
• functional mental health basics, gene SNPs, and root-cause thinking 
• a simple daily practice: morning walks, sunlight, and nature time 

Show Guest:

Mary Parker, LPC-S is a Licensed Professional Counselor Supervisor, functional mental health practitioner, author, and educator based in Round Rock, Texas. As the Clinical Director of Infinite Potential Counseling, she brings more than 15 years of experience helping individuals uncover the biological factors that often drive anxiety, ADHD, burnout, and other mental health challenges.

A Certified Integrative Mental Health Provider and Certified Neurofeedback Provider, Mary takes a whole-person approach that blends traditional counseling with functional medicine, neurofeedback, nutrition, genetics, and lifestyle interventions. Her work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief: many mental health struggles have underlying biological roots that are frequently overlooked in conventional care.

Mary is the author of The Basics of Functional Mental Health and Wired for the Wild: How ADHD Is Your Biological Superpower, and she is a co-author of The Perimenopause Prescription. Through her writing, clinical work, and speaking, she challenges the over-medicalization of everyday life and empowers people to better understand their brains, bodies, and unique strengths.

She is also the host of the Reinventing Mental Health podcast, where she explores innovative and evidence-informed approaches to emotional wellness, brain health, and personal growth.

In addition to her clinical work, Mary is passionate about supporting women through midlife transitions. She is a leader in the upcoming Perimenopause Reset 2026 Retreat, a transformative week-long experience focused on hormone health, longevity, emotional wellness, and helping women reclaim their energy, clarity, and confidence.

Learn more about Mary and her work:

• Infinite Potential Counseling: https://www.infinitepotentialinctx.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/infinitepotentialcounseling
• Reinventing Mental Health Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@Reinventingmentalhealth
• The Basics of Functional Mental Health: https://a.co/d/06MpzVu8
• Wired for the Wild: How ADHD Is Your Biological Superpower: https://a.co/d/02udXcE5
• Infinite Life Wellness & Perimenopause Reset Retreat: https://infinitelifewellness.com
• Perimenopause Community: https://www.infinitelifecommunity.com/communities/groups/perimenopause-community/home?invite=69b1def023dcc8264f43ebf6

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode - we name the hidden roles that keep our conflicts on repeat and explain why the drama triangle can feel impossible to quit even when it hurts. We share simple ways to step out of victim, rescuer, and persecutor patterns and build self-trust in the moment. 
• the drama triangle as a relationship pattern driven by nervous system protection 
• the three roles and what they sound like under stress 
• how high achievers and helpers get pulled into overgiving and resentment 
• intermittent reinforcement and the “payoff” that keeps the cycle going 
• why the triangle creates intensity instead of intimacy 
• practical role shifts from victim to creator, persecutor to challenger, rescuer to coach 
• the interrupting question “What is the most loving thing I can do for myself right now?” 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode we pull back the curtain on couples therapy and explain why high-functioning couples can look strong in public while feeling stuck in private. I share how emotional safety, nervous system regulation, and a structured process turn the same old fight into a new kind of connection. 

• why many couples wait six to seven years to seek help 
• how recurring arguments often signal threat and disconnection, not the surface issue 
• what a good couples therapy room looks like, including boundaries and structure 
• what trauma-informed relational healing means in real life 
• how I assess each partner’s history before joining for joint sessions 
• mapping attachment styles, triggers, and the fear underneath anger or withdrawal 
• a three-step repair tool: own your part, validate emotion, offer reassurance or action 
• why therapy is practice, not magic, and why consistency matters 
• what couples therapy is not: a courtroom, a detective story, a vent session, or taking sides 
• questions to reflect on, including what happens if you soften and what healing looks like 

You can follow along on Instagram and Facebook @CouchtimewithCat and sign up for my newsletter at CouchTimewithcat.com for reflections and resources delivered straight to you. Listen to Couchtime with Cat on KWVH 94.3 and subscribe on Apple, Spotify, and iHeartRadio. 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's show, we sit down with Executive Chef Steve Warner to unpack how great restaurants foster a sense of belonging while running at full speed behind the scenes. We pull leadership lessons from service, culture, and excellence that carry straight into everyday life. 

• building a “family” feeling through shared pressure and shared purpose 
• hiring for attitude and noticing small details that signal care 
• treating dining out as a short vacation for guests 
• bringing energy to the room while still taking the work seriously 
• learning from kitchen disasters and staying accountable without shame 
• handling famous guests by keeping standards consistent for everyone 
• remembering Tom Farace's leadership and the ripple effects of kindness 

Show Guest:

Born and raised in Central Texas, Steve is the Executive Chef and Owner at Whiskey Ridge and brings decades of culinary excellence, leadership, and creativity to the role.

Over an incredible 35-year career, he's opened more than 60 restaurants, owned and operated successful concepts including Two Step Restaurant and Cantina and Osteria Two Steppes, and has held leadership roles at iconic restaurants including Eddie V's Edgewater Grille, Wildfish, ATX Cocina, Bulevar, and J Carver's.

He's led thousands of team members throughout his career and built a reputation not only for exceptional food but for creating cultures where people thrive.

A proud graduate of the University of Texas, Steve blends classic Texas flavors with innovation, curiosity, and a healthy dose of humor.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

On today's show we discuss how clutter can be a nervous system signal, not a moral failure, and our homes often mirror anxiety, grief, ADHD, burnout, and the weight of too many unmade decisions. We talk with professional organizer Erin Mursh about making space outside so we can feel more space inside, using compassion and function instead of shame and perfectionism. 

• clutter as communication between environment and emotional health 
• decision fatigue and why rooms become “Mount Everest” 
• anxiety showing up as perfectionism and hidden shame spaces 
• ADHD, executive functioning challenges, and making tidying easier 
• guilt, gratitude, and the sunk cost trap with unused items 
• grief and sentimental belongings, including choosing one meaningful keepsake 
• couples conflict and household stress, including how clutter can raise cortisol 
• shifting the question from “make it nice” to “what do I need from this space?” 
• a compassionate starting point, beginning with the least emotional area 
• what working with a professional organizer looks like in real life 
• Erin’s path from organizing into graduate school for counseling 

Show Guest:

Erin Mursch is a professional organizer and owner of Organized for Good in Austin, TX. She has been using her organizing skills to support individuals, couples, and families for more than 10 years, training with Marie Kondo to become a Certified KonMari Consultant in 2016. Through her work in clients' homes, Erin has observed firsthand the overlap between our home environment and our mental health, which has led her back to school to get a Masters in Professional Counseling. 

You can connect with Erin at Organized for Good on the web and on Instagram.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we slow down the urge to “fix it” and talk about why healing often takes longer than we want, especially when our nervous systems have been carrying stress for years. With therapist Lauren Mitchell, we explore holistic healing as an embodied and relational practice that helps us come back home to ourselves with more compassion. 

• reframing exhaustion as rest rather than laziness 
• noticing overwhelm as a nervous system signal, not weakness 
• challenging productivity culture and chronic stress normalization 
• treating healing as physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual 
• Lauren’s shift from hustling to holistic practices that work 
• how culture and upbringing shape the drive to overfunction 
• choosing brave change to find what feels missing 
• letting go of the A through Z misconception 
• accepting nonlinear healing and perspective shifts over time 
• holding trauma with support instead of trying to erase it 
• using community and belonging for co-regulation 
• simple regulation tools like breath movement, sunlight, and boundaries 

Show Guest:

Lauren Mitchell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate and the Director of the Youth Crisis Respite Center at Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers in San Marcos.

What I love about Lauren’s work is that she approaches mental health through a deeply relational and human lens. Her background spans family therapy, crisis stabilization, trauma-informed care, leadership in community mental health systems, and family-centered support programs.

But beyond the credentials—and there are many—what stands out about Lauren is her presence. She has this grounded, collaborative way of helping people feel safe enough to breathe again during some of their hardest moments.

She believes healing happens through connection, dignity, and meeting people exactly where they are.

You can contact Lauren at: lauren@brightlightmft.com, or find her on Instagram.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, Inside A Free Youth Crisis Respite Program In Texas with Lauren Mitchell, we sit with the reality of the youth mental health crisis and what it feels like when a family runs out of ideas and energy. Lauren Mitchell breaks down how a Youth Crisis Respite Center offers a free, trauma-informed pause that helps kids recenter and helps families reconnect with hope. 

• what a youth crisis respite center is and why it exists 
• how Hill Country MHDD supports 19 Texas counties with community mental health resources 
• why a home-like setting can feel safer than institutional care 
• how the 7-day, 24/7 model works for ages 12 to 17 
• what “low risk of harm” means and when higher care is needed 
• why kids cannot be mandated to attend and how autonomy builds buy-in 
• the “Coke bottle” approach to slowing down crisis conversations 
• what teens wish adults understood about social media and emotional overload 
• how backing off as a parent can build resilience and self-efficacy 

Show Guest:

Lauren Mitchell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate and the Director of the Youth Crisis Respite Center at Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers in San Marcos.

What I love about Lauren’s work is that she approaches mental health through a deeply relational and human lens. Her background spans family therapy, crisis stabilization, trauma-informed care, leadership in community mental health systems, and family-centered support programs.

But beyond the credentials—and there are many—what stands out about Lauren is her presence. She has this grounded, collaborative way of helping people feel safe enough to breathe again during some of their hardest moments.

She believes healing happens through connection, dignity, and meeting people exactly where they are.

You can contact Lauren at: lauren@brightlightmft.com, or find her on Instagram.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In this episode, we explore why healing happens faster when we stop carrying everything alone and let safe people and safe faith practices hold some of the weight. Pastor Gaylon Clark joins me to connect neuroscience, worship, mental health, and real-world support into a picture of community that feels loving and practical. 

• nervous system safety through presence and attunement 
• why isolation increases stress and anxiety 
• worship as humility that opens us to God and others 
• the pull of rugged individualism and how it distorts perspective 
• why success can tempt us to drift from what centers us 
• letting go of shame-based messages and trusting God’s love 
• how a church can show up in crisis with tangible help 
• leadership loneliness and the need for mutually supportive relationships 
• making space for therapy and faith to coexist 
• finding belonging beyond the crowd through small groups 
• simple practices for connection like kindness and curiosity c 

Show Guest:

Pastor Gaylon Clark is the Lead Pastor of Greater Mt. Zion Church in Austin, Texas, where he has faithfully served for over 25 years. With a heart for both spiritual growth and community impact, he has led the church in expanding its outreach locally and globally—launching initiatives that address poverty, education, economic empowerment, and mental health.

A passionate advocate for community transformation, Pastor Clark plays a key leadership role in citywide efforts such as Dream Together 2030, where he helps guide mental health initiatives aimed at building a more compassionate Austin. Under his leadership, Greater Mt. Zion has become a hub of support and connection, offering resources like food and clothing pantries, financial assistance programs, and educational partnerships.

Pastor Clark holds degrees from Dallas Baptist University and Dallas Theological Seminary, and is deeply committed to fostering meaningful relationships, spiritual belonging, and holistic well-being. He lives in Austin with his wife, Kathy, and is the proud father of their son, Michael.

You can connect with Pastor Clark at Greater Mt. Zion, on Instagram, or on Facebook.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we talk with strategic communication mentor Bia Berlitz about why our feelings can be bigger than our vocabulary and why that gap can make us feel alone. We connect language, identity, and mental wellness so we can communicate with more clarity, self-trust, and compassion.

• linguistic relativity and how language shapes emotion
• why some feelings feel clearer in certain languages
• accessing different layers of self through multilingual life
• frustration and shame when you cannot find words
• “where communication fails, health pays the price” and the mind-body cost of repression
• confidence gains that come with learning and being understood
• quick fixes like translation apps versus long-term language growth
• journal prompt on where you feel understood and where you search for words

Show Guest:

Bia Berlitz is a Strategic Communication Mentor who helps people find their voice—and use it with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Fluent in five languages and working in both English and Portuguese, Bia brings more than 30 years of experience teaching and mentoring clients across Brazil and around the world.

With a background in Portuguese and English Language Studies, Bia has worked with executives, actors, and professionals from all walks of life. Her passion lies in helping people expand beyond what they thought was possible—whether that’s speaking a new language, stepping into leadership, or expressing themselves more authentically.

At her core, Bia believes communication is about connection. Her mission is to bridge worlds and transform voices through language and oratory, creating space for people to be seen, heard, and understood.

Off the mic, Bia is a devoted, down-to-earth mom who treasures her family deeply and finds joy in the simple things—especially time by the beach.

You can connect with Bia on Instagram at Brigida Berlitz.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we sit with the hidden reality of kratom dependence and how something marketed as natural relief can quietly reshape a life. We talk with Chad Womack about Feel Free, high-functioning addiction, rehab, and the slow return to clarity, responsibility, and self-respect. 

• Kratom basics and why dose changes the experience 
• How “legal” and “easy to buy” can speed up dependence 
• Chad’s first experience with Feel Free and why it felt like support 
• The quiet ramp from two bottles to eight 
• Personality shifts that show up as anger, coldness and isolation 
• The financial cost and the sneaky behaviors addiction creates 
• A non-moral question that helps clarify any coping habit 
• The breaking point that leads to rehab and what firm boundaries can do 
• What a day in rehab actually looks like and why it feels brutal 
• Coming home after treatment and living with consequences 
• Purpose shame and the slow work of self-forgiveness 
• What Chad says to someone quietly struggling 

--

Show Guest:

Chad Womack is a real estate professional, investor, and business owner with more than 25 years of experience building and managing successful ventures. Over the course of his career, he built and sold a company of 25 years while developing a strong portfolio of rental properties, giving him deep insight into long-term investment and sustainable business growth.

Behind that success, however, Chad faced a deeply personal challenge—an addiction to kratom, specifically the widely available “Feel Free” tonic. What began as a legal, easily accessible source of relief gradually turned into a dependency that led him to spend 45 days in rehab and nearly cost him his 20-year marriage.

Today, Chad shares his story with honesty and humility, offering a window into the reality of high-functioning addiction, the impact it can have on relationships and identity, and the ongoing work of recovery. His journey is one of accountability, resilience, and the slow return to clarity, purpose, and self-respect.

Outside of his professional life, Chad finds his greatest joy in spending time with his wife, daughter, and their two dogs. 

You can connect with Chad Womack here.

You can connect with Dillon Womack here.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we sit with the question of whether relationship conflict is really about love or about emotional language that never got translated. With therapist Emily Pierce, we name how neurodivergence shapes communication and we share tools for building compassion, safety, and clarity in neurodiverse couples. 
• neurodivergence as a broad umbrella including ADHD, autism, OCD, PTSD, learning differences, and acquired differences 
• executive functioning, sensory processing, and emotion regulation differences that change how partners respond 
• why “everyone is a little ADHD” language feels invalidating 
• late diagnosis in adults, masking, and why tools can stop working during life transitions like perimenopause or parenting 
• stigma, fear, and shame that can block support and assessment 
• how to find more reliable education, including Neurodivergent Insights by Dr Anna Neff 
• what makes a couple “neurodiverse” and why every pairing needs a custom approach 
• common miscommunication loops like forgotten tasks, rejection sensitivity, and tone differences 
• masking versus adapting, and how to build safety for both partners 
• “support swapping” so both partners do meaningful work 
• acceptance and grief after a late diagnosis, plus over-communication as a path to repair 
• hope for stronger foundations once couples learn a shared language 

Show Guest: 

Emily Pearce is a passionate LMFT-A specializing in neurodivergent couples, with a deep commitment to understanding and addressing the unique challenges faced by these relationships. Over the past three years, Emily has achieved remarkable success in helping neurodivergent couples and individuals navigate common relationship issues through the unique lens of neurodiversity. Drawing from a lifetime of being surrounded by a neurodiverse circle and understanding her own neurodivergent brain, Emily integrates personal experiences with professional expertise to offer empathetic and effective counseling. Emily is dedicated to filling the growing need for specialized training, advocacy, and education in neurodiverse counseling.

You can connect with her at her website and on Instagram. 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we break down the science and hope of neuroplasticity and why your most repeated thoughts can feel like fixed roads even when they are just well-worn trails. We share simple tools to build healthier neural pathways through repetition, nervous system safety, and supportive connection. 

• thoughts as mental trails that can change over time 
• what neuroplasticity means in plain language 
• “neurons that fire together wire together” and why practice matters 
• why the brain defaults to efficiency and predictability 
• survival patterns that help us cope but block thriving 
• using awareness to step out of autopilot and into agency 
• externalizing fear loops so a pattern does not become identity 
• tiny consistent shifts that build lasting change 
• regulating the nervous system with breathing, walking, mindfulness, and grounding 
• why healing rarely happens in isolation and how safe relationships rewire us 
• the “catch and redirect” exercise for kinder self-talk 
• journal prompts to spot patterns, find origins, and choose a new path 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In this episode, we talk about confidence the way it actually shows up, not as loud perfection but as small brave choices made while you’re still nervous. We hear from my daughters, Alexandra (11) and Luciana (9), as they explain what helps them feel brave, what makes confidence drop, and how being yourself can be enough. 

• defining confidence as being different without shrinking 
• feeling confident through friends, family, and true belonging 
• how anxiety shows up as butterflies and shaky nerves 
• “fly in formation” as a simple way to steady yourself 
• theater, singing, jiu-jitsu, and finding what fits your brain and body 
• the three building blocks of confidence: trying, recovering, acceptance 
• pre-stage self-talk and what we’re really afraid of 
• singing on air as a practice of bravery 
• validating fear while still encouraging action 
• the brave step tool for everyday courage 
• my own confidence struggles with running speed and finishing strong 
• what I worry about as a parent and how I cope by teaching skills 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In this episode we talk about the quiet ways perfectionism and approval-seeking shape our lives, then practice a kinder truth: we are already enough. Andrea Markusich shares how “enoughness” can change parenting, emotional regulation, and the way we show up at home, school, and work. 

• perfectionism linked to anxiety, depression, and burnout 
• self-compassion as the antidote, not more striving 
• Andrea’s turning point and the creation of The Enough Company 
• approval and validation as a hidden driver of overdoing 
• boundaries that protect alignment and family time 
• Ivy The Snail as a tool for teaching comparison and jealousy 
• jealousy as a messenger that points toward growth 
• sitting with hard emotions instead of projecting them outward 
• parenting without fixing, holding a safe container for big feelings 
• tending to our inner child before responding to a child’s pain 
• affirmation bandages as tiny moments of connection and healing 
• school murals that support emotional intelligence and regulation 

Show Guest:

Andrea is the founder of The Enough Company, a heart-centered initiative devoted to helping children, parents, and schools remember that we are already worthy of love and belonging.

She’s a Certified Conscious Parenting Coach and a Certified Soul Psychology Coach, and her work grew not from a childhood dream but from her own lived experience of feeling not enough—and the exhaustion that comes from constantly trying to prove our worth.

Through workshops, classroom visits, creative projects, and her book featuring the lovable character Ivy the Snail (buy book on Amazon), Andrea helps children explore big emotions like jealousy, comparison, and shyness with compassion rather than shame.

She also created one of the most creative ideas I’ve seen in a long time: affirmation bandages.

Because when children get hurt, that moment of care can become a moment of connection.

A message right on their arm reminding them:

You are loved. You are enough.

Andrea also spends time connecting with families and reflecting on parenting with her adult children—something she describes as one of the most meaningful seasons of life. You can connect with Andrea on Instagram at The Enough Company or at her website, The Enough Company. 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We name the quiet burnout that hides behind competence and show what it costs when being the responsible one becomes your identity. We break down emotional labor, nervous system depletion, and simple practices that help you care deeply without carrying everything alone. 

• quiet burnout as slow depletion rather than a dramatic collapse 
• chronic responsibility plus low emotional recovery leading to functional overdrive 
• emotional labor as invisible work in families and workplaces 
• subtle signals like irritability, guilt while resting, and overwhelm from small tasks 
• reflection prompts to spot overfunctioning and borrowed responsibility 
• grounding through breath and noticing support in the body 
• self-compassion as emotional sustainability rather than indulgence 
• a personal story about dialing back effort to regain presence and energy 
• daily end-of-day questions to build awareness and shift patterns 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we explore therapeutic ketamine through the lens of Internal Family Systems and somatic integration, asking what becomes possible when science and soul sit down together. Grace Laurie, LPC, shares practical insight on safety, structure, and why honoring protective parts is central to lasting change.

• how ketamine reduces rumination and opens neuroplasticity
• why IFS and compassionate parts work deepen integration
• who benefits most: TRD, PTSD, CPTSD, OCD, burnout
• postpartum depression potential and safety considerations
• dosing routes, timelines, and what a session looks like
• preparation, ritual, and the importance of a steady container
• cost transparency and realistic expectations for outcomes
• using novelty and small changes to reinforce new pathways
• hope, resistance, and inviting protective parts to the table

Show Guest: 

Meet Grace Lawrie, LPC – Therapist, Healing Partner, and Advocate for Neurodivergent & LGBTQIA+ Communities

Grace is a deeply intuitive and compassionate therapist who brings a holistic, embodied approach to healing. Rooted in the belief that the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of transformation, Grace creates a space of safety, curiosity, and collaboration where clients can explore their inner landscapes and reconnect with their inherent wisdom.

With training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt therapy, somatic practices, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), Grace supports clients in aligning their emotional, physical, and psychological selves. Her work is anchored in anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and neurodiversity-affirming frameworks—making her a trusted guide for neurodivergent individuals, LGBTQIA+ clients, and those navigating complex trauma, identity exploration, and non-traditional relationships.

As a clinician for queer and neurodivergent folks, Grace brings lived experience, deep empathy, and authenticity into every session. Whether supporting clients through emotional healing, relationship dynamics, or psychedelic integration, she empowers them to move from surviving to thriving—on their own terms.

To contact Grace Lawrie

Email: grace@movingpartspsychotherapy.com

Psychology Today Profile - Grace Lawrie

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore marriage as a living container rather than a fixed destiny, tracing how history, attachment, and modern expectations shape what partners ask of each other. We share practical tools to repair, reconnect, and choose each other with open eyes.

In this episode we talk about:

• redefining marriage as legal, economic, spiritual, social and psychological container
• modern expectations concentrated on one partner
• attachment patterns shaping conflict and triggers
• moving from blame to humility and repair
• Gottman insights on bids, ratios and repair
• reflective prompts to surface inherited beliefs
• divorce context, cultural shifts and success metrics
• marriage as a holy container for growth
• weekly state of us ritual for repair
• updating love maps through curiosity
• book recommendations for deeper learning

Thank you for listening and subscribing! 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We sit with Amanda Ebner, St. Stephen's Episcopal's Head of School, to explore how empathy, follow-through, and honest feedback create safety for students, staff, and families. Stories from Germany, South Korea, and Texas show how culture becomes care and why belonging beats perfection.

• defining culture as daily safety for kids, parents, and staff
• co-regulation and why safety unlocks learning
• Amanda’s journey from military spouse to head of school
• earning trust through consistency and follow-through
• what diverse cultures teach about autonomy and support
• military transition counseling and advocacy for families
• measuring success by belonging, not report cards
• practical habits for confident kids and calm classrooms
• strong boundaries that protect the greater good
• the case against screens and clear school policies
• leadership playbook: listen, invite feedback, act with courage

Show Guest: 

Amanda Ebner is an educator, school leader, and counselor whose work is rooted in a deep love for children, families, and the relationships that help them thrive. With a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Maryland and a Master of Science in Guidance and Counseling from the University of West Alabama, Amanda has spent her career walking alongside students through the academic, emotional, and social milestones of growing up.

Her professional journey has taken her across the globe. She completed her counseling supervision with the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) at Kaiserslautern High School in Germany and later served as a school counselor at both Kaiserslautern High School and Seoul American Middle and High School in South Korea. In these roles, she supported military-connected students and families navigating cultural transitions, adolescence, and the complexities of life overseas.

Throughout her career, Amanda has served in a wide range of educational roles — including kindergarten teacher, school administrator, Military Transition Coordinator with the Military Child Education Coalition, and now Head of School at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School in Wimberley, a role she began in July 2019. Under her leadership, the school has experienced significant growth while remaining grounded in its commitment to relationship-centered education and whole-child development.

As a military spouse and mother of three daughters, Amanda brings both professional expertise and lived experience to her work. 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore how to set down part of the mental load by using AI as a quiet co-pilot, not a replacement for connection. With Sarah Dooley of AI Empowered Mom, we share practical workflows, safety guardrails, and small wins that protect time, energy, and joy.

• naming the mental load and why it burns us out
• AI as a tool to protect connection, not replace it
• Sarah’s path from enterprise AI to family-focused tools
• practical meal planning and grocery workflows
• temperature-based coat reminders and kid agency
• avoiding AI slop with human judgment and voice
• choosing tools by values, privacy, and safety
• teaching kids AI literacy and clear boundaries
• myths about “keeping AI out” of the home
• where a maxed-out parent should start
• using AI to interview you and solve tech snags
• resources to follow Sarah and learn more

Show Guest:

Sarah Dooley is the founder of AI-Empowered Mom and host of the AI-Empowered Mom podcast, where she helps parents offload the mental load using responsible AI. After a career in tech consulting and AI strategy roles at companies like Ernst & Young, Visa, and Waste Management, she launched her own platform to support families navigating AI in everyday life. Sarah lives in Austin with her husband and three daughters. You can connect with her at AI-Empowered Mom and on her Instagram AI-Empowered Mom

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore a warm, accessible path into Ayurveda with counselor and breathwork practitioner Brett Aldrich, moving from big ideas to daily choices that soothe the nervous system. Practical tools, a simple breath exercise, and a gentle rethink of routine help us feel more like ourselves.

• what Ayurveda is and why it matters
• the five elements and choosing opposites for balance
• doshas explained and how to notice your mix
• differences from western symptom focus
• the 50 percent training rule to prevent burnout
• daily rhythms mapped to the dosha clock
• a simple box breathing practice for calm
• self-awareness, acceptance, and loving action
• first steps to reconnect with body and wisdom
• where to learn more from Brett and free consults

Show Guest:

Brett Aldrich is an Ayurvedic Counselor, Breathwork Practitioner, and founder of Seed the Spirit in Portland, Maine, whose work blends decades of service with deep holistic training. Her career has taken her from supporting survivors of trauma and children with developmental needs to guiding others in Ayurveda, breathwork, and yoga. A graduate of the Kripalu School of Ayurveda and affiliated with the Global Professional Breathwork Alliance, Brett helps people create lasting physical, emotional, and spiritual balance and transformation through simple, sustainable practices.

You can connect with Brett at her website. Seed the Spirit.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore gratitude as a practice of attention, not a forced feeling, and show how to hold it alongside stress, grief, and complexity. Science, story, and simple tools help you build resilience without pressure or toxic positivity.

• what gratitude is and what it is not
• how attention reshapes neural pathways
• why stress makes gratitude feel out of reach
• micro-noticing to find calm in seconds
• empathy-based gratitude that honors effort
• being-held gratitude through people, pets, and music
• holding grief and gratitude at the same time
• making gratitude “sticky” with sensory detail and meaning
• gentle prompts to notice two things today

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We trace how early experiences teach our bodies what love feels like and how those lessons shape anxious, avoidant, disorganized, and secure patterns. We share body-based tools and compassionate questions that turn reactivity into choice and repair.

• attachment as adaptation not identity
• overview of anxious, avoidant, disorganized, secure
• polyvagal safety cues and survival states
• real-life signs in texting, conflict, and closeness
• self-inquiry to map “what kept me safe”
• tools to name patterns and slow the body
• separating past from present during triggers
• compassion and repair as secure moves
• healing through therapy and consistent relationships
• journal prompts to invite awareness and change

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We open our hearts about postpartum depression as an experience, not a verdict, blending biology, identity, and soul. We share tools, stories, and a journal prompt to trade judgment for compassion and to make room for slow, honest healing.

• Talking with my daughter about anxiety, depression, and invisible thoughts
• Garden metaphor for the emptiness and rebuild after birth
• Honoring Robin Williams and why speaking thoughts out loud matters
• Present, honest parenting over perfect parenting
• Dismantling the blissful new parent myth with science and story
• Hormonal cliff, nervous system overload, identity fracture
• Traumatic births, PTSD, and why bounce back harms recovery
• Medication without shame, therapy as support, writing as lifeline
• Replacing should statements with I am truths
• Practical tools: longer exhales, micro truths, reaching for help
• Journal prompt for self-compassion and gentle return to self

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We sit down with Pioneering Collective's VP of Author Strategies, and poet Scott James to explore how writing moves us from fear to clarity and why generous, human-centered craft matters in a shortcut culture. Along the way we share tools, timelines, and a few myths worth dropping.

• writing as a path to healing and belonging
• Scott’s early journaling and the power of being witnessed
• expressive writing research and practical prompts
• fear of not being good enough and how to move anyway
• what an author strategist does and how books create impact
• divergent then convergent creativity and the ruthless edit
• sustainable habits, artist dates, and voice memo drafting
• realistic timelines, editing as a team sport, and launch thinking
• myths about talent versus the truth of rewriting

Show Guest:

Scott James is an acclaimed typewriter poet and the VP of Author Strategies at Pioneering Collective, a thought leadership accelerator based in New York City. As a poet, has written over 10,000 poems on-demand, published two best selling books, and had his work featured widely by tastemakers like Magnolia and Tim Ferriss. As an author strategist, he has helped hundreds of authors publish their own books, with many of them becoming best sellers and driving millions of dollars in new business. He loves the work of helping people get their ideas onto the page and out into the world. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, daughter, and their goofy pug.

You can connect with Scott here:

https://www.instagram.com/scottandrewjames

https://scottandrewjames.com/

https://www.pioneeringcollective.com/

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We trade pressure-filled resolutions for a calmer framework: release what no longer fits, choose devotion over performance, and let a single guiding word shape choices and self-talk. Science, seasonality, and story meet to create change that respects capacity and honors timing.

• overpacking as a metaphor for emotional baggage 
• winter as a cue for rest and reflection 
• why rigid goals trigger the threat response 
• intrinsic motivation over external pressure 
• trauma-informed timing and capacity 
• question one: what to release this year 
• how stress shows up in the body 
• question two: devotion as the long game 
• models of steady practice and patience 
• question three: a word to lead your year 
• integrating language, boundaries and nervous system care

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore why holidays can trigger anxiety, how old family roles take over, and simple ways to return to peace without pretending everything is perfect. We ground together, name grief and pressure, and build a small plan—boundaries, breath, and values—to carry into gatherings.

• science of stress responses at family gatherings
• role-locking and family systems pulling us back
• cultural pressure, grief, and perfection myths
• guided breath and body reset to calm the nervous system
• practical exit strategies to reclaim agency
• boundaries as doors, not walls
• choosing one guiding value for the season
• creating a three-part peace plan
• recommended books and podcasts for deeper work

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We reframe the year through seasons—winter, spring, summer, and fall—to honor rest, capacity, and the quiet work beneath the surface. Stories, science, and prompts help you map renewal, release hustle guilt, and trust your rhythm without apology.

• emotional seasons as a framework for meaning
• fallow field metaphor for rest and renewal
• expansion and contraction across day and year
• trauma‑informed lens on capacity and pacing
• permission to pause without losing growth
• tension with goal setting
• guided prompts to map winter, spring, summer, fall
• gratitude and self‑recognition as integration
• trusting yourself as seasons return
• simple practices for daily micro‑seasons

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

On this episode, we explore grief as a human process, not a problem -- blending science, story, and practice with Jenna Ellinger’s hard-won wisdom. The conversation moves from survival to meaning, from pinholes of hope to the choice to live with love and loyalty.

Show Guest:

Jena earned her Bachelor of Science in Social Work from the University of Texas at Austin. There, she met and married her college sweetheart. The two made their home in Austin, Texas, where they raised their three children: Sam, Jake and Morgen. When her children were 14, 12, and 9 her husband tragically died competing in a triathlon in San Francisco.

Together, she and her children formed a team of four, relying on their faith, their community, and one another to rediscover joy after loss. That season taught Jena an essential truth: grief and loss are powerful forces, and pain needs a witness and lots of support.

That belief was tested again in 2021, when her middle child Jake, a gifted student and University of Texas Football Player, died from fentanyl poisoning after taking a counterfeit Xanax pill. The loss was devastating and shattering for all. But once again, Jena and her children chose to fight - not just to survive, but to keep searching for even the smallest signs of light: “pinholes of hope and joy.”

Hope and joy have continued to show up in unexpected and beautiful ways. Jena is now happily remarried, her oldest son, Sam, pursued his dreams and went to the NFL and is a Quarterback for The Denver Broncos, and is also happily married, and her youngest child, Morgen, just graduated from the University of Texas, like her brothers, and is working in Dallas in commercial real estate. Inspired by her journey, Jena returned to graduate school to be a Therapist, earning her Master's in Marriage and Family Therapy. She has a private practice and uses the experiences God has bestowed on her, both extraordinary highs and lows, to help others find healing. Jena is a speaker on grief, resilience, and finding hope in dark places. She is also an advocate for the fight against fentanyl. She spoke on Capitol Hill and worked to pass a Texas law that enables law enforcement to prosecute those poisoning others with fentanyl to face a murder charge.

You can connect with Jena at: Jena Ehlinger Counseling or on Instagram

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore how female entrepreneurs can shift from reactive money habits to intentional, values-aligned strategy. Whitney Morrison, CFP, shares practical tools for pricing, boundaries, hiring, and reframing money as a neutral guide rather than a measure of worth.

• common money patterns among service-based women
• fear of hiring and being seen financially
• moving from hustle to intentional flow
• pairing purpose with a practical plan
• pricing as a math problem, not a worth problem
• boundaries for scope, time, and invoices
• outsourcing timelines and seasons of growth
• the relief of simple financial systems
• money dynamics in partnerships and personal power
• teaching kids about money without shame
• first steps to clarity: know your numbers

Show Guest:

Whitney Morrison has long understood the profound role money plays in shaping a life. While others her age dreamed of fame, she was driven to decode the forces behind financial stability and identity. Motivated by her family’s early struggles, she pursued finance straight out of college, earning her Series 7, Series 66, and Certified Financial Planner® credentials. Her true transformation came when she began examining the emotional roots of money—beliefs around worth, scarcity, and success—ultimately shifting from a negative net worth to millionaire status while building her business from the ground up.

Today, Whitney serves as a strategic CFO and financial advisor to women entrepreneurs with a rare blend of rigor and reflection. She helps founders understand their numbers, make powerful decisions, and build profitable businesses that support the lives they’re creating. Her philosophy is simple yet revolutionary: money isn’t just transactional; it’s a pathway to meaning, agency, and wellbeing. To work with Whitney or learn more about her approach, visit her online and take your next step toward building wealth on your own terms.

You can find Whitney at: Holistic Money and on Instagram

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We trace how early experiences shape money habits, then work with Whitney Morrison to unpack shame, self-worth, and the seasons of finance. Practical tools help us shift from reaction to choice and build kinder, smarter money routines.

• neuroscience of scarcity wiring and identity narratives
• Whitney’s childhood imprint and career path into finance
• industry skills versus emotional money patterns
• shame, debt, and the unworthiness script
• the deserve versus pricing pendulum in business
• monthly nonjudgmental reviews to spot patterns
• money as cycles and building grace for downturns
• separating worth from net worth while pursuing potential
• one tiny step to shift a money behavior this week

Show Guest:

Whitney Morrison has long understood the profound role money plays in shaping a life. While others her age dreamed of fame, she was driven to decode the forces behind financial stability and identity. Motivated by her family’s early struggles, she pursued finance straight out of college, earning her Series 7, Series 66, and Certified Financial Planner® credentials. Her true transformation came when she began examining the emotional roots of money—beliefs around worth, scarcity, and success—ultimately shifting from a negative net worth to millionaire status while building her business from the ground up.

Today, Whitney serves as a strategic CFO and financial advisor to women entrepreneurs with a rare blend of rigor and reflection. She helps founders understand their numbers, make powerful decisions, and build profitable businesses that support the lives they’re creating. Her philosophy is simple yet revolutionary: money isn’t just transactional; it’s a pathway to meaning, agency, and wellbeing. To work with Whitney or learn more about her approach, visit her online and take your next step toward building wealth on your own terms.

You can find Whitney at: Holistic Money and on Instagram

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore self-led parenting through IFS with Marisa Garcia, moving from control to attunement and from managing behavior to meeting needs. We share real stories, the U-turn practice, and how repair after blowups builds trust and capacity in the family.

• why fixing and managing often miss the child’s need
• IFS basics in parenting: managers, firefighters, exiles
• the U-turn: turn inward before responding
• curiosity over the “spoiled kid” narrative
• parts party dynamics during homework battles
• repair steps after yelling or withdrawing
• fear of belonging driving control at home
• accepting our child’s uniqueness without panic
• how kids mirror our exiled parts
• practical language for boundaries and pacing
• contact details for Marisa and ways to connect

Show Guest: 

Marisa Garcia is a Certified Conscious Parenting Coach, Neurodiversity-Informed Mentor, a Level 3 IFS Practitioner and a systems and industrial engineer. 

Her personal healing journey has led her to explore and integrate a range of therapeutic modalities, all rooted in compassion and clarity. Today, she supports individuals and families in deepening their connection to themselves and each other through a heart-centered, trauma-informed lens.

Marisa is also a lifelong learner, a mother navigating neurodiversity, a wife, an athlete, and an artist—all of which inform her rich and relatable approach to healing.

Connect with Marisa at marisagmtz@gmail.com
or follow her on Instagram at @cons.cious.ly

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore why holiday gatherings often trigger anxiety and old roles, then map out small, practical ways to find steadiness. We offer grounding breath, values-based choices, clear exit strategies, and a permission slip to choose peace over perfection.

• Why family systems pull us into old roles
• how the nervous system responds to holiday stress
• the gap between glossy images and real families
• grounding breath and body reset techniques
• boundaries as doors that keep you whole
• exit strategies that restore agency
• picking one guiding value for the season
• creating a three-part peace plan
• recommended books and podcasts for deeper support

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore Internal Family Systems with Marisa Garcia, mapping managers, firefighters, and exiles while centering the calm of Self. A real-life partner moment shows two paths: reactivity or repair, with a one-minute practice to meet parts with compassion.

• IFS as a compassionate map of the inner world
• Origins in Dr Richard Schwartz’s work and trauma-informed care
• Parts 101: managers, firefighters, and exiles
• Self versus self-like parts and why agenda matters
• Perfectionism as a once-helpful strategy that needs new roles
• Partner conflict slowed down with parts awareness
• A one-minute daily practice to meet parts
• How to connect with Marisa and begin sessions

Show Guest: 

Marisa Garcia is a Certified Conscious Parenting Coach, Neurodiversity-Informed Mentor, a Level 3 IFS Practitioner and a systems and industrial engineer. 

Her personal healing journey has led her to explore and integrate a range of therapeutic modalities, all rooted in compassion and clarity. Today, she supports individuals and families in deepening their connection to themselves and each other through a heart-centered, trauma-informed lens.

Marisa is also a lifelong learner, a mother navigating neurodiversity, a wife, an athlete, and an artist—all of which inform her rich and relatable approach to healing.

Connect with Marisa at marisagmtz@gmail.com
or follow her on Instagram at @cons.cious.ly

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In today's episode, we explore how conscious breathing calms the nervous system, opens access to the luminous mind, and widens the space between trigger and response. Liya James shares her journey from high‑achieving designer to breathwork guide, with practical ways to practice when the stakes are low.

• breath as a direct line to safety and presence
• luminous mind explained through Zen and IFS
• shifting from doing for worth to acting from worth
• training the gap between stimulus and response
• simple breath patterns that quiet rumination
• how online sessions and creative integration work
• using language to ask for time and space in conflict
• motherhood, lineage and breaking inherited patterns
• resources to continue: Liya’s site and Cat’s support

Show Guest:

Liya James is a certified breathwork facilitator, Zen practitioner, best-selling author, and artist. As the founder of Luminous Breathwork, she guides people through transformational journeys that blend conscious breath, creative expression, and contemplative practice—opening pathways for healing, clarity, and inner freedom.

After two decades leading global design and innovation teams, Liya turned her focus inward and discovered that creativity, when rooted in awareness, can be a profound source of transformation and insight. An immigrant, mother, and lifelong seeker, she brings presence, artistry, and compassion to her work—helping others untangle inherited patterns through trauma-informed, lineage-sensitive somatic practices.

You can connect with her at: https://www.luminousbreathwork.com/

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

In this episode, we explore endurance sport as a path to healing, not just performance, and how long efforts rewire our response to fear, shame, and overwhelm. Marisa Garcia shares tools from triathlon and trauma-informed coaching to help us find control inside chaos and know when to pause.

• Endurance movement as moving meditation and trauma repair
• Open-water swim strategies for panic, boundaries, and control
• Rewriting old shame through steady, present miles
• Hydration and fueling as mental health tools on course
• Evolving from finishing to racing and back to joy
• Burnout, identity, and healthy retirement from goals
• How grit in sport transfers to family, conflict, and work
• Practical first steps for choosing an achievable race

*In the show we touch on Ironman distances. We were a little off! Here are the accurate ones:

 Swim

• Distance: 1.2 miles (1.9 km)
• Usually in open water: lake, river, or ocean

 Bike

• Distance: 56 miles (90 km)
• On paved roads or highway loops

 Run

• Distance: 13.1 miles (21.1 km)
• That’s a half marathon to finish

Total Distance: 70.3 miles (113 km)

Participants usually have 8.5 hours to complete the race, with individual cut-off times for each segment.

--

If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, it would mean so much if you'd subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps others find us and it grows this community of care. And if you know someone who needs a little light right now, send them this episode. Remind them they're not alone.
--

Show Guest: 

Marisa Garcia is a Certified Conscious Parenting Coach, Neurodiversity-Informed Mentor, a Level 3 IFS Practitioner and a systems and industrial engineer. 

Her personal healing journey has led her to explore and integrate a range of therapeutic modalities, all rooted in compassion and clarity. Today, she supports individuals and families in deepening their connection to themselves and each other through a heart-centered, trauma-informed lens.

Marisa is also a lifelong learner, a mother navigating neurodiversity, a wife, an athlete, and an artist—all of which inform her rich and relatable approach to healing.

Connect with Marisa at marisagmtz@gmail.com
or follow her on Instagram at @cons.cious.ly

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Show guest:

Dr. Paulina S. Flasch is an Associate Professor of Professional Counseling at Texas State University, where she teaches in the Marriage, Couple, and Family track and co-leads the Trauma and Interpersonal Violence Research Lab. Her work centers on trauma, intimate partner violence, and interpersonal violence, with a growing focus on Jewish identity and the lived experiences of antisemitism.

Dr. Flasch is also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), and the founder of Flasch Counseling and Consulting, where she offers consulting and speaking engagements rooted in compassion, research, and real-world insight.

Learn more or connect with Dr. Flasch:

 🔗 TXST Faculty Profile

🔗 LinkedIn

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Resources:

• Texas State Masters Program’s Community Counseling and Wellness Center
• Hope Alliance (Williamson County) 
• SAFE Austin (Travis County) 
• Hays Caldwell Women’s Center (Hays & Caldwell Counties) 
• Legal Support: 
• •Travis County Law Library & Self-Help Center 
• •Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid -Austin 
• •The Travis County Attorney's Office 
• University of Texas Domestic Violence Law Clinic 
• https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/domestic-violence/  
• https://law.utexas.edu/clinics/information-for-the-public/  
• •Austin Police Department - Victim Services Division 
• •Volunteer Legal Services of Central Texas  
• TexasLawHelp.org 
• Lawyer Referral Service of Central Texas 
• State Bar of Texas Lawyer Referral Service 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore Relational Life Therapy with Jess Johnson and show how conflict, when repaired with care, builds deeper trust. We share the harmony-disharmony-repair cycle, the “whoosh” of reactivity, and practical steps to shift from the adaptive child to the wise adult.

• why harmony without repair stays shallow
• how the nervous system shapes connection and conflict
• adaptive child, wounded child, and wise adult explained
• noticing the “whoosh” as a cue to pause
• relational mindfulness as a daily practice
• what real repair looks like in words and actions
• balancing independence and interdependence
• moving beyond skills to true transformation
• healthy self-esteem as I’m no better and no less
• one simple weekly practice to track self-esteem swings

Show Guest:

Jess is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, Licensed Professional Counselor Associate and Certified Relational Life Therapy Couple's Coach. Working out of New Braunfels, TX she helps individuals and couples struggling in their relationships access healing through connection with an invitation to explore relational patterns and learn real repair. Her lived experience as a woman, wife, mother, daughter in a military family and sister to a special needs loved one, has ingrained in her a deep knowing that: every human has worth; mistakes are opportunities to grow; we're all just doing our best, and sometimes we need help. In a space where no topic is off the table and everyone is given grace to be messy and imperfect, her clients learn to love in a radical way and dare to connect deeply.

You can connect with Jess at: 

Knowing Connection Therapy, or on Instagram - Jess Talks Relationships

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We question the belief that value equals output and explore how rest—scientific, emotional, creative, and social—restores the mind, body, and spirit. We share stories, micro‑practices, and rituals that make slowing down feel possible without guilt.

• culture of productivity and the cost of pushing through
• personal burnout story as a turning point
• brain science of sleep, memory and creativity
• nervous system basics and why rest heals
• expanding rest beyond sleep: emotional, creative, social
• how family messages shape rest guilt
• signs of soul‑tired and early warning cues
• micro‑rests and simple daily rituals that stick
• community support that makes rest safer
• visualization, resources and a gentle weekly prompt

Write down one way you can invite more rest into your life. Not as a reward, but as a piece of nourishment for yourself.

If you’re struggling with this, feel free to reach out to me at 956-249-7930. You can leave an anonymous question by calling, voicemail, or voice memo, and I’ll answer it on the show.

If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, it would mean so much if you’d subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps others find us and it grows this community of care.

And if you know someone who needs a little light right now, send them this episode. Remind them they’re not alone.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We open a hard, necessary conversation about sex, power, consent, and culture with educator Kelsey Benton. We share personal stories, define consent literacy, unpack coercion, discuss college “red zone” risks, and offer tools that build agency and care.

• making mental wellness accessible, compassionate and real
• consent literacy beyond slogans; context, power and identity
• nervous system responses: freeze and fawn explained
• forensic exam access and survivor agency in Texas
• social norms, media messages and decoding coercion
• the college “red zone” and why silence persists
• everyday “safety” habits vs victim-blaming myths
• shifting focus to people who cause harm and enablers
• practical scripts for check-ins and bystander moves
• parenting with open language, boundaries and repair

Visit me at gattheahhallam.com — C-A-T-I-A-H-O-L-M.com
Leave an anonymous question: 956-249-7930

If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, it would mean so much if you'd subscribe, rate, and leave a review. It helps others find us and it grows this community of care

Send this episode to someone who needs a little light. Remind them they're not alone.

To become a client, visit me at catiaholm.com or leave an anonymous question for the show by calling or texting 956-249-7930. 

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Movement isn't just for physical health—it's powerful medicine for our mental wellbeing too. Science shows that just 30 minutes of moderate movement 3-5 times weekly can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by releasing mood-enhancing brain chemicals.

• Movement helps regulate the nervous system and process trauma stored in the body
• Trauma becomes stored as "implicit memories" when we lack language to process experiences
• Movement allows processing of emotions without needing conscious awareness of their origins
• Shifting from self-control to self-compassion transforms our relationship with movement
• Different types of healing movement include mindful movement (yoga, tai chi), creative movement, grounding movement, rhythmic movement, and social movement
• Each type of movement taps into different parts of our nervous system, helping regulate mood
• Movement doesn't have to be grueling—it can be gentle, playful, and joyful
• Our relationship with movement often needs updating as we age and our needs change

Call the anonymous question line at 956-249-7930 or visit catiaholm.com to connect. If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others find this community of care.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Mental wellness requires an anchor deeper than our fleeting emotions, and living by our values provides the stability we need to navigate life's challenges with integrity and purpose. 

• Values are steady qualities we want to embody, while feelings are temporary messages from our body and brain
• Research shows people who live aligned with their values report higher life satisfaction, lower anxiety, and greater resilience
• The affect heuristic makes us decide based on momentary feelings, but psychological flexibility allows us to pause and choose our response
• Asking "what would my wisest self do here?" helps bridge the gap between emotional reactions and value-aligned choices
• Small steps like visual reminders, pre-planning for difficult situations, and self-compassion after mistakes help integrate values into daily life
• Treating emotions like rainwater that needs to flow through you prevents them from becoming stagnant and problematic
• Living from values creates a strong foundation that helps you respond thoughtfully rather than react chaotically to life's challenges

If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, please subscribe, rate and leave a review. It helps others find us and grows this community of care.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

-- 

Scott James shares his journey from writing poems out of desperation to creating over 10,000 typewriter poems on demand, revealing how creativity became his path to healing and presence. Through his practice of instant poetry, Scott discovered how to transform resistance into flow, establish energetic boundaries, and create meaningful connections with strangers through art.

• Started writing poetry during a personal crisis after moving to Austin and settling into marriage
• Set a goal to write 1,000 poems in a year, which evolved from a task into a healing practice
• Discovered the power of co-creation by asking others for poem ideas rather than working in isolation
• Brought his 1947 Smith Corona typewriter to events and began writing poems on demand for strangers
• Developed specific creative rituals and "energetic hygiene" practices to prepare for poetry sessions
• Found that writing poems for others created a flow state that felt like connecting to something beyond himself
• Learned to "leapfrog resistance" by using his ego and pride as motivational tools
• Established the typewriter as a "creative campfire" where both poet and recipient contribute
• Witnessed profound emotional responses from people receiving personalized poems
--

Show Guest:

Scott James is an acclaimed typewriter poet and the VP of Author Strategies at Pioneering Collective, a thought leadership accelerator based in New York City. As a poet, has written over 10,000 poems on-demand, published two best selling books, and had his work featured widely by tastemakers like Magnolia and Tim Ferriss. As an author strategist, he has helped hundreds of authors publish their own books, with many of them becoming best sellers and driving millions of dollars in new business. He loves the work of helping people get their ideas onto the page and out into the world. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, daughter, and their goofy pug.

You can connect with Scott here:

https://www.instagram.com/scottandrewjames

https://scottandrewjames.com/

https://www.pioneeringcollective.com/

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist, shares strategies for talking to children about medical procedures in ways that reduce anxiety and build trust.

• Children pick up on our non-verbal cues during difficult times and may imagine scenarios worse than reality
• Research shows children who receive preparation before medical procedures exhibit less anxiety and recover faster
• Using concrete, age-appropriate language helps children understand medical situations (like "sleepy medicine" for anesthesia)
• Different approaches work for different ages - 4-year-olds need sequence-based explanations while 10-year-olds benefit from more involvement
• Children process difficult news in their own ways and on their own timeline
• Parents don't need perfect words - the message of love and togetherness matters most
• Multiple small conversations often work better than one overwhelming discussion
• Start by asking about previous medical experiences to gauge understanding and misconceptions

Show Guest

Katie Taylor, CCLS, CEO & Founder, Child Life On Call

Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform revolutionizing pediatric healthcare by putting parents at the center of the medical journey. With over 15 years of experience as a certified child life specialist, Katie has made significant contributions to the field of child life and the families she’s served with over a decade of working at the bedside. She is an accomplished author, engaging child life and entrepreneurship speaker, and the Child Life On Call Podcast host. Katie's work emphasizes the vital role of child life services in supporting caregivers and enhancing children's medical journeys through empowering parents.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Katie Taylor opens our eyes to the transformative role of child life specialists - healthcare professionals who use play, preparation, and child-friendly language to turn potentially traumatic medical experiences into manageable, even empowering ones for children and families.

With over 15 years of experience as a certified child life specialist and as CEO of Child Life On Call, Katie shares how these professionals serve as essential bridges between medical teams and families. From describing IVs as "tiny Barbie straws" to creating playful preparation for anesthesia, these specialists translate complex medical experiences into language children can understand.

Whether you're a parent preparing a child for a medical procedure or someone interested in how healthcare can become more nuanced, this conversation will forever change how you think about supporting children through medical experiences. 

--

Show Guest

Katie Taylor, CCLS, CEO & Founder, Child Life On Call

Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform revolutionizing pediatric healthcare by putting parents at the center of the medical journey. With over 15 years of experience as a certified child life specialist, Katie has made significant contributions to the field of child life and the families she’s served with over a decade of working at the bedside. She is an accomplished author, engaging child life and entrepreneurship speaker, and the Child Life On Call Podcast host. Katie's work emphasizes the vital role of child life services in supporting caregivers and enhancing children's medical journeys through empowering parents.

Connect with Katie here:

• SupportSpot App iOS & Android App
• Child Life On Call Podcast
• Child Life Circle - Community for Child Life Specialists
• Instagram.com/childlifeoncall
• Facebook.com/childlifeoncall

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Have you ever wondered why you keep repeating the same patterns, even when they no longer serve you? This eye-opening conversation with Jessica Cherry – sound bath practitioner, NLP coach, and TV host – reveals how our minds create patterns that shape our entire lives, and how we can change them.

Jessica explains neuro-linguistic programming as "a manual for your mind," offering a powerful framework for examining the thoughts and language patterns that keep us stuck. Through vivid metaphors – like emptying your purse to see what you're unnecessarily carrying – she demonstrates how we can objectively look at our limiting beliefs and decide what deserves space in our mental landscape.

The most compelling moments come when Jessica shares real transformation stories, including a client who experienced "space in her chest" for the first time after a Hawaiian forgiveness practice called Ho'oponopono. This physical manifestation of emotional release led to an urge to clean under her bed – a beautiful example of how internal shifts create external changes. 

For anyone feeling stuck in patterns of anxiety, limiting beliefs, or emotional cycles, this conversation offers practical insight into how our brains work and how remarkably plastic they remain throughout our lives. Jessica reminds us that after 35, we typically operate on autopilot unless we deliberately choose different patterns – a wake-up call for anyone feeling too old to change or grow.

--

Jessica Cherry is an award-winning entrepreneur, empowerment coach, TV host, and community leader in Central Texas. As founding Community Director of LLN Hays County, she produces monthly networking and empowerment events spotlighting women-owned businesses. Host of She Will Empower on The CW Austin’s Connect Network TV and a Certified NLP Practitioner, she helps women release trauma, burnout, and self-doubt to create confident, purposeful lives. 

She is a multi-award recipient, including Blogger of the Year twice for Austin Business Woman, a Community Contributor Award recipient for Austin Business Woman and runner-up for Best Online Personality in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin 2024. 

You can connect with her at: Lone Star Sound Baths and Life of a Cherry Wife

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Jessica Cherry shares her journey from experiencing debilitating anxiety to becoming a certified sound bath practitioner and sound alchemist who helps others find peace through immersive sound experiences.

• Discovered sound baths during a period of intense stress while dealing with family loss and serving as power of attorney
• Experienced immediate relief after her first sound bath, describing it as "a weight off her shoulders"
• Purchased a complete set of Tibetan bowls and pursued formal certification to deepen her understanding
• Combines her musical background with healing practices to create harmonious, melodic experiences
• Uses various instruments including Tibetan bowls, quartz bowls, harps, gongs, chimes, and Native American flutes
• Leads participants through a guided meditation before and after approximately 50 minutes of immersive sound
• Respects individual autonomy, allowing participants to receive the experience in whatever way serves them best
• Views her role not as a healer but as a facilitator creating space for people to reset their nervous systems
• Describes the benefits as mental clarity, emotional release, and deep relaxation

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Show Guest:

Jessica Cherry is an award-winning entrepreneur, empowerment coach, TV host, and community leader in Central Texas. As founding Community Director of Ladies Lifestyle Network Hays County, she produces monthly networking and empowerment events spotlighting women-owned businesses. Host of She Will Empower on The CW Austin’s Connect Network TV and a Certified NLP Practitioner, she helps women release trauma, burnout, and self-doubt to create confident, purposeful lives. Jessica also owns Lone Star Sound Baths, providing sound bath sessions and runs the motherhood and lifestyle blog, Life of a Cherry Wife. 

She is a multi-award recipient, including Blogger of the Year twice for Austin Business Woman, a Community Contributor Award recipient for Austin Business Woman and runner-up for Best Online Personality in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin 2024. 

You can connect with her at: Lone Star Sound Baths and Life of a Cherry Wife
--

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Loneliness is a silent epidemic affecting millions globally, even those who appear surrounded by people and connections. Science now shows that chronic loneliness has physical health impacts equivalent to smoking 15 cigarettes daily, raising risks of depression, anxiety, heart disease, and even dementia.

• 16% of people globally report feeling lonely, with higher rates among young adults 18-24
• Loneliness isn't about being alone—it's about not feeling seen, understood, or valued
• We live in an era of being "alone together"—connected through technology but disconnected emotionally
• Our bodies and brains constantly communicate, making loneliness both an emotional and physical health issue
• Connection through community involvement and volunteering provides both purpose and healing
• Micro-connections like making eye contact with a barista or texting a friend can make meaningful differences
• Joining community groups, clubs, or classes—even monthly—can shift your sense of belonging
• "We are wounded in connection and we heal in connection"

If this episode resonated with you, please take a moment to rate, review, and share it with a friend. These stories matter. Your voice matters.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Finding the right therapist can feel overwhelming, but understanding different therapy modalities can help you make an informed choice for your healing journey.

• Different therapy modalities work for different people - there's no one-size-fits-all approach
• Top-down approaches like CBT focus on changing thoughts to change feelings and behaviors
• Bottom-up approaches like somatic therapy work with the body to access emotions and release trauma
• Therapists often practice modalities that worked in their own healing journeys
• Person-centered therapy focuses on the therapeutic relationship as the foundation for healing
• Somatic work helps clients reconnect with their bodies to access emotions and regulate their nervous systems
• Intergenerational approaches examine family patterns to understand current challenges
• Finding the right therapist may take several consultations - and that's completely normal

Episode Guest:

Meet Grace Lawrie, LPC – Therapist, Healing Partner, and Advocate for Neurodivergent & LGBTQIA+ Communities

Grace is a deeply intuitive and compassionate therapist who brings a holistic, embodied approach to healing. Rooted in the belief that the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of transformation, Grace creates a space of safety, curiosity, and collaboration where clients can explore their inner landscapes and reconnect with their inherent wisdom.

With training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt therapy, somatic practices, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), Grace supports clients in aligning their emotional, physical, and psychological selves. Her work is anchored in anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and neurodiversity-affirming frameworks—making her a trusted guide for neurodivergent individuals, LGBTQIA+ clients, and those navigating complex trauma, identity exploration, and non-traditional relationships.

As a clinician for queer and neurodivergent folks, Grace brings lived experience, deep empathy, and authenticity into every session. Whether supporting clients through emotional healing, relationship dynamics, or psychedelic integration, she empowers them to move from surviving to thriving—on their own terms.

To contact Grace Lawrie

Email: grace@movingpartspsychotherapy.com

Psychology Today Profile - Grace Lawrie

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

We demystify what therapy really is, why it matters, and how to know if it's right for you in this warm, honest conversation about mental health support.

• Therapy comes in many forms (thought-based, body-based, spiritual) but all aim to help you function better in relationships and life
• Finding the right therapist is like dating - the relationship itself is crucial for success
• True therapy isn't about being "fixed" but about being understood, supported, and witnessed
• The best time to find a therapist is when you're NOT in crisis, though most people wait until they're desperate

Follow along for more grounded, soulful conversations and know that this space is here to support you.

Episode Guest:

Meet Grace Lawrie, LPC – Therapist, Healing Partner, and Advocate for Neurodivergent & LGBTQIA+ Communities

Grace is a deeply intuitive and compassionate therapist who brings a holistic, embodied approach to healing. Rooted in the belief that the therapeutic relationship is the foundation of transformation, Grace creates a space of safety, curiosity, and collaboration where clients can explore their inner landscapes and reconnect with their inherent wisdom.

With training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt therapy, somatic practices, and Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), Grace supports clients in aligning their emotional, physical, and psychological selves. Her work is anchored in anti-oppressive, trauma-informed, and neurodiversity-affirming frameworks—making her a trusted guide for neurodivergent individuals, LGBTQIA+ clients, and those navigating complex trauma, identity exploration, and non-traditional relationships.

As a clinician for queer and neurodivergent folks, Grace brings lived experience, deep empathy, and authenticity into every session. Whether supporting clients through emotional healing, relationship dynamics, or psychedelic integration, she empowers them to move from surviving to thriving—on their own terms.

To contact Grace Lawrie

Email: grace@movingpartspsychotherapy.com

Psychology Today Profile - Grace Lawrie

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

What does it really mean to heal? To connect? To drop our armor and find genuine relationships in a divided world? In this premiere episode of Couch Time with Cat, we flip the script as veteran journalist Melissa Correa interviews therapist, coach, and bestselling author Kat about the heart behind this new show.

Through an honest conversation between best friends, we explore how personal experiences – from postpartum depression and IVF journeys to healing childhood trauma – have shaped Cat's approach to therapy and life. "My heart breaks and grows every day," she shares, capturing the paradox of holding both devastation and hope that drives her work.

Using vivid metaphors about "marinating" in our environments, Cat explains how we absorb beliefs, patterns, and identities from those around us, often without realizing it. This awareness becomes our first step toward intentional living, deciding what to keep and what to discard from our upbringing and culture. She candidly dispels the myth of the perfect therapist, sharing moments of motherhood frustration that remind us we're all works in progress.

The conversation takes a powerful turn when discussing what Cat calls "level eight" – the deep human needs we all share beneath our surface identities. Beyond the tribal signaling of bumper stickers and social media posturing lies our universal yearning for genuine connection, safety, and being seen. Through small, seemingly simple interactions, we can create spaces where people feel safe enough to remove their armor and simply be themselves.

Whether you're deep in your healing journey or just beginning to wonder what that means, this show offers a gentle check-in and practical wisdom for navigating life's challenges. Join us as we explore the messy, beautiful work of becoming more authentically ourselves – and finding others brave enough to do the same.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com 

and 

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Ever wondered about the person in the therapist's chair? In this intimate premiere episode of Couch Time with Cat, host Catia (Cat) pulls back the curtain on her own journey from hospitality manager to mental wellness advocate. With her best friend (and cousin) Melissa Correa asking the questions we all want answers to, Cat reveals the twists and turns that shaped her path to becoming a therapist, coach, and author.

Growing up Mexican-American in South Texas, Cat recalls a childhood where mental health wasn't part of the conversation. "My parents were migrants and they were so hardworking...there just wasn't a lot of space for mental wellness," she shares candidly. This cultural context frames her passionate belief that creating space for our emotional wellbeing is both a challenge and a necessity in our busy lives.

The conversation takes an especially powerful turn when Cat discusses her identity crisis after becoming a mother. With remarkable vulnerability, she describes her postpartum depression and how writing became her lifeline during those dark days. "I knew that I needed something, and I didn't know what," she reflects, a sentiment that will resonate with anyone who's ever felt lost while trying to find themselves again.

What makes this episode truly special is Cat's humility and wisdom. When comparing herself to giants in the mental health field like Dr. Brené Brown, she offers a beautiful metaphor: "She's like Niagara Falls... I may be your little local creek, but I can provide some respite and beauty to the person who can get to me." It's this perspective—that we all have something valuable to offer in our own way—that makes Couch Time with Cat feel like sitting with a trusted friend.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by: 

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A 

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S