Take What Serves. Leave the Rest.

"Fake Stories Producing Real Emotions" with OCD Therapist Sierra Claeson

OCD is very clever at getting people to immerse themselves in fake stories that feel very real, and pull them away from the present moment. As a Twin Cities based OCD therapist, Sierra Claeson works with her clients to help them learn how to not take OCD's bait, and stay connected to the here and now. 

In this week's episode of the podcast, Bryan talks to Sierra about her work treating OCD, her passion for inference-based cognitive behavioral therapy (I-CBT), the courage it takes to get help, and much more. 

Sierra is the co-founder of Out of the Woods Counseling. She sees clients virtually in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida. 

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Why Asking For Help Can Be So Hard & Why It's A Radical Act Of Courage

Asking for help with your mental health can feel really hard. However, leaning into support is a powerful act of courage. 

In this week's episode, Bryan and Dr. Anastasia Ristau talk about stepping into the space of vulnerability and surrendering into help. 

Dr. Ristau is a licensed psychologist and Director of Psychotherapeutics at PrairieCare. 

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Living The "Middle Path" with OCD Therapist Lucy Grantz

Lucy Grantz lived almost 30 years with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and didn't know it. She is now a therapist specializing in the treatment of it. 

In this week's episode Bryan talks to Lucy about a number of things, including:

• Getting diagnosed with OCD in her 40's. 
• Interacting with mindfulness practices while living with OCD. 
• Focusing on living the "middle path". 
• Creating space for the grief that comes with an OCD diagnosis.

Lucy Grantz is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in Southwest Minneapolis. She runs a private practice called Pivot Psychotherapy. 

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Why A Mental Health Diagnosis Can Be Empowering

Receiving a mental health diagnosis can activate a wide array of emotions. 

In this episode, we're exploring how a diagnosis can be an empowering experience - even as you experience all the other emotions that might be coming along with it, too. 

Bryan is joined, once again, by Dr. Anastasia Ristau. They discuss how a diagnosis can validate what you're experiencing - and give you a path forward to show up for your life in a more expansive way. They also offer a special message to parents who might be maneuvering a mental health diagnosis for their children.

Dr. Ristau is a licensed psychologist and the Director of Psychotherapeutics at PrairieCare. 

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Maneuvering The Change of Seasons with Kelly Grosklags

Here we are in the change of seasons. No doubt that this time of the year holds great beauty. It can also feel tender for some of us when it comes to our mental and emotional health. 

In this week’s episode we’re talking about it.

Bryan and Kelly Grosklags talk about meeting ourselves gently as we ride the many seasons of our life. They discuss why the season change can sometimes be difficult - and ways to nurture yourself through it. Also, how different seasons may hold deep tenderness when it comes to grief and loss.

Kelly Grosklags is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), author, podcast host, and Founder of "Conversations with Kelly". 

As always, take what serves you - and leave the rest. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Insights From My First Eight Months of Being A Therapist

It's been about eight months since Bryan has been working as a mental health therapist. In this episode, he shares some of what he's learned along the way that may help you if you're in therapy - or interested in exploring the process. 

Bryan is interviewed by Kelly Grosklags about what the past eight months have been like for him. They talk about finding a therapist that is a good fit, the safe space that is often cultivated in a therapy session, naming when imposter syndrome shows up, cultivating a root system to weather the ebbs and flows of life - and much more. 

Kelly Grosklags is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), author, podcast host, and Founder of Conversations with Kelly. 

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

Click here to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation if you are interested in working with Bryan.

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Nurturing Our Relationship With Uncertainty

To be uncertain is to be human. 

And yet, sitting in uncertainty can be a very uncomfortable experience. 

In this week's episode, Bryan explores with Dr. Anastasia Ristau what it means to nurture our relationship with uncertainty - and how to start showing up for our life in the midst of the questions. 

If uncertainty is feeling especially prominent in your life right now, this episode is meant to provide some comfort and hope.

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

Dr. Ristau is a licensed psychologist and Director of Psychotherapeutics at PrairieCare. 

Click here to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with Bryan if you're interest in working with him. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Breaking The Rumination Cycle & Reconnecting With The Present Moment

Rumination can feel all-consuming when we're in the depths of it. Churning over and over again in our mind - thinking we're solving our worries. In reality, rumination is often pulling us further and further away from what's most important to us. 

In this episode, Bryan talks the process of noticing when we're ruminating - and reconnecting to what's most important to us in the present moment. 

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest. 

If you are interested in working with Bryan, click here to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation with him. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

Maneuvering The Emotions of the Presidential Election

Many are experiencing strong emotions about the upcoming Presidential election. In this week’s episode, we’re talking about.

Bryan talks to Dr. Anastasia Ristau about the process of taking care of yourself if things are feeling emotionally charged right now.

Dr. Ristau is a licensed psychologist and Director of Psychotherapeutics at PrairieCare.

As always - take what serves you, and leave the rest.

Click here if you are interested in working with Bryan and want to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation. Learn more about Bryan here.

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)

"Living Well" According to our Values with Dr. Marisa Mazza

We all experience thoughts that can feel distressing and sometimes pull us away from how we want to be living our life. For people living with OCD, this experience is amplified. 

This week, Bryan talks to Dr. Marisa Mazza who is helping people living with OCD maneuver the noise of their mind and lean into what’s most important to them. She talks about disengaging from our thoughts, rooting into our values, and her definition of what it means to "live well".

Dr. Mazza is a licensed psychologist, and founder of choicetherapy, a
group practice specializing in evidence-based treatments for OCD and anxiety. She is also faculty at the International OCD Foundation's Behavioral Therapy Training Institute, and author of "The ACT Workbook for OCD: Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Exposure Skills to Live Well with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder".

As always, take what serves you - and leave the rest.

Click here to set up a free 15-minute phone consultation with Bryan if you are interested in working with him. 

(This podcast is not meant to replace therapy. If you feel you need it, we encourage you to reach out to a licensed mental health professional)