Therapy Chat

This week we dive deeper into working with Internal Family System and our family of parts with my incredible guest, Tamala Floyd. We discussed Tamala’s book, Listening When Parts Speak, and how her ancestors participated in the process. Our conversation wound back and forth through time and space. You’ll hear us discuss intergenerational trauma, breaking cycles, how healing ourselves heals our ancestors, both those who came before us and those who follow us, inner child work, and so much more!

About this week’s guest:

Tamala Floyd, LCSW is a psychotherapist, author, consultant, and retreat facilitator with over 30 years of clinical experience. She received a master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern California and an undergraduate degree in psychology from California State University–Long Beach. She served as a lead trainer at the Internal Family Systems Institute. She has taught at the University of Phoenix and the University of Southern California in human services and social work. Tamala has worked in various settings including schools, criminal justice, hospitals, mental health agencies and private practice.
She has expertise in childhood sexual abuse, women’s sexual trauma and domestic violence. Her current work focuses on healing inter-generational trauma and increasing access to ancestral lineage gifts. Her newest book releases are Listening When Parts Speak: A Practical Guide to Healing with Internal Family Systems Therapy and Ancestor Wisdom and Healing the Wounded Mother. Tamala has been married to her husband for over 25 years. They are digital nomads traveling internationally since June 2022. They have five adult children between them, three of which are adopted.

Find Our Guest online:

Tamala Floyd’s retreat: https://www.souliology.com/the-therapists-inheritance
Tamala Floyd’s website: https://www.tamalafloyd.com/ 
 
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Therapy Wisdom Video Course
My course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma

2026-2027 Retreat Interest Form
We’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewform

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Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat 

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This week, continuing our discussion of psychedelics and therapy, I’m honored to be joined by three amazing guests who are leaders in the IFS and psychedelics worlds. So HOW does a therapist “do” psychedelic assisted psychotherapy? A number of therapists are already using IFS or IFS informed parts work in their practices. Now, we are fortunate to have a clinical manual co-authored by today’s guests, Sunny Strasburg, LMFT; Martha Sweezy, PhD; and David Lovas, MD, together with the founder of IFS, Dick Schwartz, PhD. In our conversation, you’ll hear our guests share their perspectives on the neuroscience involved; how Protector parts can arise in these experiences; ethics and consent in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy; some descriptions of various psychedelic medicines; and the need for additional research in this field. 

About this week’s guests:

Sunny Strasburg, LMFT, a licensed psychotherapist, educator, speaker, and pioneering author, specializes in training clinicians and designing impactful experiences that inspire both creativity and compassion. She is the founder of The Theradelic Approach, equipping clinicians with trauma-informed psychedelic-assisted therapy methods. This unique model blends Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, archetypal psychology, trauma-informed care, and Strasburg's extensive clinical experience. Her debut book, The Theradelic Approach, elevates therapeutic best practices. Sunny also co-authored the official clinical manual for IFS and Psychedelic Therapy, Psychedelic Medicine & Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: A Clinical Skills Manual, with Dave Lovas, Martha Sweezy, and Richard Schwartz. 

Martha Sweezy, PhD, is an Assistant Professor part-time in Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, a research and training consultant at the Center for Mindfulness and Compassion at the Cambridge Health Alliance, and a psychotherapist in private practice. Martha has a blog on IFS in Psychology Today, and co-hosts a podcast called System Updates: IFS Chitchat. She has authored, co-authored, and co-edited eleven published books on various applications of Internal Family Systems (IFS), including Internal Family Systems Therapy for Shame and Guilt. She teaches IFS therapy nationally and internationally. 

David Lovas, MD is a psychiatrist, psychotherapist and writer. He recently co-wrote "Psychedelic Medicine and Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy: A Clinical Skills Manual" (2026), with colleagues Martha Sweezy, Richard Schwartz and Sunny Strasburg. They have also taught workshops and co-lead retreats together. Formerly working in academia, Dr Lovas has received awards for his teaching and research at Harvard Medical School and Dalhousie University. Now, along with his private practice, he is focused on translating science, IFS, and depth psychology for a broader audience. Dr Lovas continues to consult and collaborate on IFS and psychedelic research. He speaks and coaches internationally.

Find Our Guests online:

Sunny Strasburg’s website: http://www.sunnystrasburg.com/
Martha Sweezy’s website: https://marthasweezy.com
David Lovas’s website: https://www.drdavidlovas.com
Find Psychedelic Medicine + IFS: A Clinical Skills Manual online here: https://www.amazon.com/Psychedelic-Medicine-Internal-Systems-Therapy/dp/1683739213
 
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Socials
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Therapy Wisdom Video Course
My course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma

2026-2027 Retreat Interest Form
We’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewform

Check Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:

Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat 

Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com 
Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura 

Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productions
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Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Psychedelics are a hot topic lately. People are seeking healing experiences, with or without the participation of their therapists. Some are finding their journeys to be transformational but struggle to integrate what occurred when they return to their ordinary lives. Others need help integrating traumatic material that arose. Yet many therapists, especially those who are more seasoned in the field, are unaware or suspicious about these medicines.
This week’s guest, Erin Atkinson, LCSW-C, is the founder of Prism Wellness, a holistic, somatic, and psychedelic therapy practice with a team of therapists providing this specialized work across multiple states. In addition to her clinical training in this work, Erin weaves somatic trauma therapy with earth-based wisdom and plant medicine traditions. She is an animist minister, rooted in Celtic and European traditions and her own ancestral practice.
In our conversation, you’ll hear Erin and I discuss aspects of our own processes of connecting with our European ancestors; how psychedelic work can help us connect with nature and the collective; and the importance of integration, often a missing piece of the healing process in psychedelic work. Erin Atkinson, LCSW-C is licensed in Maryland, Colorado, Texas, and Hawaii, a board-approved clinical supervisor, and a psychedelic-assisted therapist. Alongside her clinical work, Erin mentors, supervises, and trains therapists who want to bring spirituality, earth wisdom, and a liberation focus into their practice. If you’re curious about what psychedelic integration is, and what it can be, you’ll want to listen to this episode!

Find Erin Atkinson online:

Erin Atkinson’s website for therapy, consultation and training: https://www.prism-wellness.com/for-therapists 
Instagram: instagram.com/prismwellness.love 

Find Laura Online
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Socials
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https://www.instagram.com/therapychatpod

Therapy Wisdom Video Course
My course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma

2026-2027 Retreat Interest Form
We’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewform

Check Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:

Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com (link to) https://get.paubox.com/private-practice/therapy-chat 

Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com 
Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat (link to this : https://affiliate.joinheard.com/laura 

Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productions
https://vaudeoproductions.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Our rapidly changing world is leaving parents needing guidance more than ever. The threats seem to be from everywhere - at school, in the neighborhood, on the internet…

How can we help our children become strong and resilient adults who will have the wisdom to lead our world forward? Parents are worried about protecting their daughters from violence and ensuring they grow up feeling confident and empowered. They’re wondering how their sons will be impacted by the loudest voices on the internet teaching them what masculinity should look like through the perspective of “the Manosphere.” And what about porn? I talk to so many parents who are trying to figure out how to keep their kids from being exposed to porn and being utterly confused about what to do next, when they inevitably stumble upon it.

In this conversation with parenting expert Dr. Shefali, author of the bestselling book, “The Conscious Parent,” we talk about all of this and much more. Dr. Shefali’s two newest books, Raising Conscious Daughters and Raising Conscious Sons, help parents guide their children’s emotional and physical development toward maturation into well-adjusted adults. Dr. Shefali is a Columbia University-trained psychologist who founded the Conscious Parenting movement. For decades, she’s been guiding families to move beyond patterns of control and fear toward presence and authenticity. 

Find Dr. Shefali online:

Raising Conscious Daughters + Raising Conscious Sons are Found Here. https://www.drshefali.com/raisingconscious-daughters-sons/  

Dr. Shefali’s website
https://www.drshefali.com/ 

Find Laura Online
https://therapychatpodcast.com
https://traumatherapistnetwork.com

Sign up to receive the Therapy Chat + TTN Newsletter
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Socials
https://www.youtube.com/c/TherapyChatPodcast
https://www.facebook.com/therapychatpod
https://www.instagram.com/therapychatpod

Therapy Wisdom Video Course
My course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma

2026-2027 Retreat Interest Form
We’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewform

Check Out These Offers from Our Episode Sponsors:

Save $250 on Your First Year of Paubox when you use code HEALING at: paubox.com

Get 2 Free Months of TherapyNotes using code CHAT at https://therapynotes.com 

Save 15% Off An Annual Plan with Heard at joinheard.com/therapychat

Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productions
https://vaudeoproductions.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

If you’re someone who has struggled with self abandonment, you may wonder why you find yourself beating yourself up or feeling like an imposter in your life at times. I often say, “imposter syndrome” is a cute description for a deeply painful feeling. This week’s guest, Alexandra Stevens, explores how our own experiences, and those of our ancestors, factor into our shame today. She shares how we can rebuild trust - beginning with trusting ourselves - and stop abandoning ourselves after trauma.

Alexandra Stevens is a UKCP-accredited Gestalt psychotherapist, EMDR therapist, writer, and podcast host based in Lisbon, Portugal. She specialises in attachment trauma, CPTSD, anxiety, self-worth, and the ways early relational experiences continue to shape our adult lives.

Alexandra integrates EMDR, Gestalt Therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and somatic approaches to help clients move beyond insight into lasting transformation. Alexandra is currently writing a book, You Don't Have To Abandon Yourself To Belong, exploring the ways we disconnect from ourselves in order to maintain attachment, safety, and belonging. Alongside her clinical work, she hosts a podcast featuring conversations with leading therapists, authors, and researchers exploring trauma, authenticity, healing, and human connection called You Don’t Have to Abandon Yourself to Belong.

Find Alexandra Stevens online:

Alexandra’s website: http://www.alexandrastevenstherapy.com 

You Don’t Have to Abandon Yourself to Belong Podcast on YouTube https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJVFrcqh04gA 

Find Laura Online
https://therapychatpodcast.com
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Therapy Wisdom Video Course
My course on therapy skills for work with survivors of sexual violence is available on The Academy of Therapy Wisdom site. Watch a free video and access the course https://therapywisdom.com/what-to-do-when-a-client-discloses-sexual-trauma

2026-2027 Retreat Interest Form
We’re planning retreats in 2026 and 2027. Let me know which ones you are interested in - some of the locations we’ll visit include: Spain, North Carolina, Mexico, Portugal, Greece, France and more. Details are being added to the TTN website and sent out via e-mail as they’re finalized.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdVOcuSAc9ehVzdcNXPydpjjciVjCfzoE2jRrVyGcOeZGhZEA/viewform

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Podcast Produced by Vaudeo Productions
https://vaudeoproductions.com

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands