Human First with Dr. Courtney Tracy

Join Dr. Courtney Tracy, aka The Truth Doctor, a licensed psychotherapist and doctor of clinical psychology, as she discusses Seven Aspects Every Mental Health Community Should Have to ensure it's a safe and validating environment. Dr. Courtney discusses recent life events and how her experiences led her to creating her own mental health community for her global online audience. There's also a discount code in the episode for those who want to join! We think this episode could help people who want to learn what to look for in a supportive community and those who experience traits of or are diagnosed with borderline personality, autism, and/or ADHD. We'd love to hear from you via screenshots on social media by tagging us at @the.truth.doctor and @truthdoctormedia. Thank you, and enjoy. The main message of the episode: You deserve a community that helps you heal, and that teaches you what it means to be a human while treating you like one.

Follow Dr. Courtney on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube at @the.truth.doctor. Learn more about Truth Doctor Media at thetruthdoctor.com. LISTEN TO EPISODES ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS!

Timestamps:

00:00 - 00:49 - Intro and Starting the Truth Doctor

00:50 - 04:17 - Dr. Courtney's outpatient center and job interviews re: BPD stigma

04:18 - 05:20 - How stigma lives on the internet and social media too

05:21 - 08:24 - What is a "Validating Environment"? and What is "Community?"

08:25 - 08:30 - Seven Aspects of A Healthy Mental Health Community

08:31 - 11:04 - 1) A safe and supportive space

11:05 - 11:39 - 2) Accessible mental health resources

11:40 - 12:26 - 3) Empowerment and advocacy

12:27 - 13:22 - 4) Holistic mental health approach

13:23 - 14:49 - 5) Embracing diversity and reducing stigma

14:50 - 16:33 - 6) Community engagement and connection

16:34 - 17:47 - 7) Mental health education and awareness

17:48 - 19:54 - The Truth Doctor's three slogans

19:56 - 20:19 - Dr. Courtney's Validating Environment: her new Glad You Exist community

20:20 - 22:42 - The Glad You Exist community

22:43 - 24:16 - Glad You Exist community mental health and BPD healing offerings

24:17 - 25:16 - Why did Dr. Courtney create the Glad You Exist community?

25:17 - 26:35 - Learn more at thetruthdoctor.com/gladyouexist (discount code: HFPOD)

26:36 - 30:29 - Upcoming Glad You Exist events and the six principles of Glad You Exist

30:30 - 33:05 - Outro and "so glad you exist" COMMUNITY WEBSITE: https://www.thetruthdoctor.com/gladyouexist

Starter Membership (3 months w/ discount): https://www.thetruthdoctor.com/offers/H248cT6e?coupon_code=HFPOD

Annual Membership (12 months w/ discount): https://www.thetruthdoctor.com/offers/UZ7eFo3X?coupon_code=HFPOD

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, LAST EPISODE OF THE YEAR. Dr. Kristen Casey is clinical psychologist, author, and content creator. She’s the founder and owner of a private practice and consultation company. Prior to her psychology career, she was an EMT for 5 years. Her clinical training focused on health psychology, which sparked her interest in sleep, anxiety, and dedication to utilizing modalities that are rooted in science and research. Dr. Casey is most known on social media for providing mental health and wellness content about insomnia, anxiety, and gender/sexuality concerns.

Episode Description and Show Notes:

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Kristen describes herself as a partner, dog mom, connective, and knows all the presidents in order.
• Kristen’s why for being in the mental health field starts with her career in the ambulance field
• Defining what sleep is and what our brains do during sleep
• There are over 70 sleep disorders
• Answering the question “how much sleep should people get?” and what brain waves are present during sleep?
• Awakenings are normal, the most “normal” sleeper has about 2 awakenings per night
• People of color, veterans, and women tend to have more trouble sleeping
• She specialized in sleep by accident, and ended up falling in love with it.
• If your soul is tired, sleep won’t fix your problem. Privilege plays a huge role in sleeping habits.
• One tip is waking up at the same time everyday can be really helpful for sleep regulation
• “Nobody’s ever going to take you seriously” and other stigmatizing moments for being a therapist with tattoos
• Sometimes the best thing you learn from clients is the opposite of what you learn in school
• The nuances of cultural competency and knowing lived experience is completely different
• Her purpose in life is to learn as much as she can and connect with people
• Most common themes when it comes to having insomnia and how likely we are to get it.
• Being able to rest and being able to sleep is a privilege, and your working on your souls energy is key to better sleep
• 
  

You can find Dr. Kristen Casey online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/drkristencasey/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAlbIjiVbZ-IzaFN-3FDRWg

Twitter: https://twitter.com/drkristencasey

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drkristencasey

Learn more about Kristen's offerings at: https://www.drkristencasey.com/

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, we get deep. This episode is about personal loss and suicidality overall so here is your content notice. I am a therapist, a social worker, a wife, a mom, a relatable human, and so much more. Mental health is extremely important to me because I’ve been there. Maybe not in your shoes, but I have been through some really difficult times, and if I can’t relate, chances are I can empathize. Shoutout to my trauma. When I was 10-years-old I lost my mom to suicide and unfortunately, during that experience I saw first hand how stigmatized suicide and mental health challenges can be. So here I am now, adulting like no other, with a passion to break stigmas around mental health and support others along their journey towards personal growth. 

SUICIDE HOTLINE:  TEXT OR CALL 988 (https://988lifeline.org/)

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Elyce describes herself as a mom to two small kids, a soccer player, and someone who considers herself weird and awkward
• When Elyce was 10 she lost her mom to suicide, and she feels the universe was one of the reasons her path included social work
• Elyce helps define in her words suicide, loss, and trauma for the HUMAN first listeners
• Over 700,000 people die by suicide annually in the world, double than homicide
• From her mom’s suicide to now, we have more information on what to look for and how to help
• When Elyce’s mom was a good mom, but struggled with her own traumas even though she didn’t look like it.
• She describes when she found out about her mom’s suicide and how everything unfolded for her that day
• Elyce believes in a ‘one more day’ meaning maybe if we can prevent someone from acting on their desire for one more day we can help them find the help they need even if it’s just in the moment
• Her church community stigmatized her mother and those words hurt deeply a young Elyce
• Describing the little moments and little ways her mother’s absence has showed up for her in her life
• Elyce describes her time in child welfare and how working with suicidal parents had affected her
• The area Elyce is most dedicated to is sitting with someone in there pain and establishing relationships to help them through
• The balance between the ethical guidelines and clinical discretion of helping clients
• The reasons worth living inventory can be incredibly helpful in those tunnel vision moments
• Having constant suicidal thoughts shouldn’t be normal, you deserve to receive help and live in peace mentally
• Elyce hopes that this conversation gives someone a little more comfort in asking or reaching out for help

You can find Elyce Mandich online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thatrelatablesocialworker/?hl=en

Learn more about Elyce's offerings at: https://www.bigempathytherapy.org/

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Our guests are two of the most fun people I’ve had the chance of interviewing: Dr. Sami and David! This episode is all about being neurodivergent. David Meer is a licensed professional counselor located in Scottsdale, Arizona. David has over a decade of experience and provides workshops and consultation services to corporate clients and schools in the Phoenix Metro area. Dr. Sami Pieknik is a licensed clinical psychologist in Phoenix, Arizona providing individual therapy to children, teens, and young adults. Dr. Sami has 12 years of experience working to support neurodivergent individuals.She has a background in psychological/neuropsychological assessment, autism assessment, and in working with neurodivergent folks across the lifespan and in a variety of settings including inpatient residential, home-based therapies, community mental health, and in private practice.

Episode Description and Show Notes:

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Sami describes herself as an adult toy collector, musician, and cat person. David describes himself as an empathetic father of two girls.
• Sami and David connected on Linkedin and realized there’s a huge shortage of therapists who specialize in neurodiversity
• They both feel a responsibility to speak up because it’s easy to stay silent
• You have to be careful with what you share about yourself because the stigma against neurodiversity exists even in the mental health space
• Sami and David define neurodiversity and affirming in a mental health capacity
• Judy Singer first coined the term “neurodiversity” in Australia
• Neurodiversity is a biological fact, not an opinion
• Neurotypical is considered what society deems “normal” whereas Neurodivergent deviates from what society deems “normal”
• Some people meet what challenges what they were taught with defenses
• We expect the same behavior for all children just because they are around the same age, yet most of the structures we place around them are arbitrary like sitting still
• There are so many different ways people present and the “average” person doesn’t exist
• Autistic burnout and trauma is real and underlooked
• What kind of levels of support are you providing your neurodivergent clients, peers, or friends?
• The double empathy problem: What is it and How do we see it in neurodivergent people?
• Seeing people for their whole being, not over generalizing, and listening is the key to affirming neurodivergent people.

You can find Dr. Sami and David online at:

Website: https://www.neurodiversecounseling.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/neuro.pier/?hl=en

Sami IG: https://www.instagram.com/dr.sami.p/?hl=en

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Our guest is Cate Jonsson. Cate is a writer, artist, mother and mental health advocate. In 2017 she published her first collection of poetry as an act of healing through creativity, which lead to being invited to teach writing workshops centered on finding your voice and self expression for youth and women in her community. She is currently writing her first memoir and finishing her Bachelor's in Human Services and Counseling.

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Cate describes herself as an artist which is something she struggled with
• She has always loved art and poetry which was the basis for her why
• Because the kids she worked with showed up, that inspired her to show up
• Cate shares her personal definition of creativity
• If you feel the urge to create, do it
• So much of creating is about observing
• Cate didn’t write in her journal for 10 years because she was afraid she would ruin it’s beauty
• She didn’t realize that her writing was an act of transforming and understanding her trauma
• If we feel something and don’t call it what it is, then we won’t truly feel it
• Cate’s therapist who is also an artist lead her to combining art with mental health
• Cate describes her calming corner in her home and how it helps her
• What writing a memoir feels like when you’re actually doing it
• She had always kept things at a surface level but that changed during her memoir writing
• Cate reads one of her poems on the podcast!
• Finding the words can be hard, sometimes it spills out sometimes it’s forced out

You can find Cate Jonsson online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/catejonsson/?hl=en

Learn more about Cate's offerings at: https://bio.link/cate

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

Today’s guest is one of my favorite relationship therapists, Patricia Lamas. Patricia is an LCSW, who owns Securely Coupled Therapy, and provides individual, couples, and sex therapy in both LA and NY. She has worked in a variety of different settings and is trained in IFS, Gottman, Brainspotting, and PACT Level 3. She’s a therapy queen.

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Patricia is originally from Spain and that transition was a tough challenge
• She describes herself as an “anxious ball”
• Patricia’s struggle with her parents divorce and her parentification lead her to her interest in healthy relationship communication
• Creating secure relationships can make the world a better place
• What are attachment styles?
• We are all babies who are trying to attach or reattach
• Being wired for connection but also being wired for survival
• Loneliness is just as bad as smoking a pack of cigarettes a day health wise
• How many attachment styles are there and what are they?
• The goal is secure attachment which means 30% of the time your parents got it right
• What do these attachment styles look like in adulthood
• Is it possible to have ALL the attachment styles?
• The goal isn’t necessarily to completely change your attachment style, but to use your understanding of your own to better manage your relationships
• Couples need to be experts on interpreting each other
• We don’t heal alone. Community and relationships are vital to healing.

You can find Patricia Lamas Alvarez online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/patricialamastherapy/?hl=en

Learn more about Patricia's offerings at: https://securelycoupledtherapy.com/

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

This podcast features the founder of Self Decode as he dives into the true way to optimize your life. Joe Cohen,today’s guest, is the founder of SelfDecode, SelfHacked and LabTestAnalyzer is a thriving speaker and entrepreneur that has been independently researching health and science for over 15 years. 

Episode Description and Show Notes:

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Joe describes his home that resembles a supplement store and his love for growth and optimization
• He realized his body wasn’t working and doctors were not helping, this is where his why came from
• Even at 13 Joe was showing signs of being very interested in his health and wellness
• Not everything works for the same person the same way
• Defining genetics and optimization from Joe’s perspective
• Optimizing your health will help your health optimize your life
• Life hacking didn’t work for him, only health hacking did
• Joe’s company Self-Decode and how it can help people
• Health is a complex topic, Self-Decode is here to help simplify the process of understanding yourself on a genetic level
• The relationship between genetics and mental health
• Using genetics has helped him find out he needs certain things for his body vs others
• Joe’s philosophy of expecting 95% of the things he tries won’t work, but striving for that number to go down
• Outsourcing your health can be detrimental if you change doctors or change providers in general
• Your ancestry can affect your predisposition

You can find Joe Cohen online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/mrbiohacker/?hl=en

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8BEtyylhcM1yX_pQ2PNEXw

Learn more about Joe Cohen's offerings at: https://linktr.ee/thejoecohenshow

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

Today’s guest is Debra Silverman. Debra is an Astrologer | Teacher | Psychotherapist and Author. She has developed a unique psychological-spiritual model, combining her expertise in Esoteric (soul-centered) Astrology with her extensive education in Psychology to help those going through major life changes, especially in crisis. This episode gets interesting. Get ready to learn about my own astrological chart, the history of the science of astrology, and how your *observer* (the conscious awareness in your mind) is a slut. Ok, ok, yes, we do talk about that in this episode, but it doesn't mean what you think it means. You’ll have to listen to find out. 

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Debra describes her life of almost 70 years as celebrating the possibility of staying awake within in the dream
• Astrology has helped Debra raise her children in an effective way
• Debra defines the ancient science of astrology
• The history of the relationship between astrology and psychology
• The reason there began a dislike for astrology starts from religion
• Debra’s difference as an astrologer is her focus on purpose
• Becoming your own observer and what that means
• Your observer is a slut ;)
• Meditation, writing, breathing, and yoga can all help you get in touch with your observer
• Debra describes each 4 elements and how they translate to your personality
• Breaking down Dr. Courtney’s birth chart
• Some astrologers can be harsh and that can lead people away from it
• Pain is a human dimension, but we are resistant to ever experiencing
• What was Debra’s life before and after finding and practicing astrology
• Debra’s word of the year is ‘patience’
• How Debra works with astrology and psychology together
• Astrology helps people change their internal dialogue
• Debra’s message to the skeptics
• How to decipher through the real qualified astrologists and the not so qualified ones
• Debra’s final message for the listeners of HUMAN first

You can find Debra Silverman online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/debrasilverman_astrology/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/debrasilvermanastrology

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebraSilverman

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8h-BJfBv-DzhaUSg_IJzFg

Learn more about Debra Silverman's offerings at: https://debrasilvermanastrology.com/

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

This is an interesting pod episode listeners. I interview six clinicians from the amazing California therapy practice, Salinas Counseling. Salinas Counseling is run by Rosa Salinas, is located in Redlands, CA, and specializes in providing cultural competence for each and every one of their clients first before diving into clinical interventions. We discuss everything from the definition of generational trauma and the decolonization of mental health to movies like Encanto and Turning Red, how gender plays a role in reaching out for help, and how representation in the therapy room matters wayyyy more than some people think it does. I mean 86% of mental health professionals are White. This is a discussion we’ve been needing to have. Enjoy!

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Meeting the 6 members of Salinas Counseling and why they got into the mental health space.
• Defining generational trauma and decolonization
• Decolonization of mental health takes in account many other people’s cultures
• Humility is important. Salinas believes “we are not the expert on the person in front of us, but we want to learn.”
• How movies like Encanto and Turning Red are helping break generational trauma
• Talking about trauma is so hard when we are taught to do the opposite
• “family” and the protection of it is more important that truth or healing
• How gender plays a role in repressing your feelings and later not reaching out for help
• Reparenting yourself to avoid becoming the parent you had to parent
• You can love and critique aspects of your culture
• The military and police culture also impacts how much or how little people believe in therapy
• The importance of having representation inside the therapy room
• How you speak, dress, and present yourself can be the difference of feeling welcome or feeling uncomfortable in a space
• How do we start the process of getting therapy or going to therapy with someone?
• It only takes one person to break that cycle of generational trauma
• What it means to be relatability in a world that sets you up to fail
• 86% of mental health professionals are white
• The balance between being mindful about disclosure and relating to them to help
• You don’t have to be in a crisis to reach out for therapy

You can find Salinas Counseling online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/salinas_counseling/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salinascounseling

Learn more about Salinas Counseling's offerings at: https://www.salinascounseling.com/

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

Today’s guest and I bonded on social media back in 2020 after he listened to my first few podcast episodes. Tim Frie is an educator, mental health & health equity activist, and doctoral student exploring trauma-informed care and undoing toxic wellness. He is also the founder of Clove Health, a medical communications company that designs inclusive, culturally sensitive and trauma-informed clinical resources and patient education. On this episode, we dive into topics like what the wellness industry really is, what really contributes to your overall well-being, and how men are sometimes left out of the conversations when it comes to mental health. It’s a great episode. Enjoy!

Episode Description and Show Notes:

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Tim describes his small town upbringing and how that shaped who he is today
• He realized recently that his obsession with fitness and health was actually an ED
• Grieving the time you lost over not knowing what’s going on within you
• How to balance needing more from your parents and knowing they did what they could
• It’s not REQUIRED to forgive people in order to love yourself
• What exactly is the wellness industry?
• Healthcare and Wellness industries have differences but BOTH are for profit
• Disordered Eating can be a big part of the fitness industry
• The most common misconceptions about eating disorders
• The educational standards for learning about ED in a masters degree is very limited
• It’s not your fault if you don't succeed in a diet or program
• There are HUNDREDS of factors that contribute to our health, diet and fitness are less than 10%
• You don’t need to stop everything you’re doing, but think critically about WHY you are doing it
• How do we solve a problem we didn’t cause?
• What would the wellness industry look like if it was focused on community and society?
• The new representation in marketing isn't translating to actual policy or change
• Men can and do also have mental health issues and ED
• Online communities can be an very helpful tool for recovery and discovery

You can find Tim Frie online at:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/thetimfrie/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/timfrie/

Learn more about Tim Frie's offerings at: https://timfrie.carrd.co/

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

Instagram: @the.truth.doctor

TikTok: @the.truth.doctor

Twitter: @_thetruthdoctor

Exclusive YouTube Show: The Truth Doctor Show

Healing texts: USA & Canada (424) 228-9525

As someone with a Cluster B disorder, it can be difficult to talk about the harm that actions resulting from our mental health can cause others. Today’s guest is a survivor of categorical Narcissistic Abuse. Her name is Chiara Marullo, and she is here to help us learn about how to recover from such abuse as a victim and/or a survivor.

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• Chiara passions for the mind started at a young age
• Her strong urge to help others helped fueled her “Why”
• Chiara's focus on raising awareness on narcissistic abuse comes from her own personal experiences
• What is narcissism and narcissistic abuse?
• Who do narcissistic people look for in a partner?
• How do our vulnerabilities make us a target for abuse?
• About 0%-6.2% have NPD according to the DSM
• There were 20,000 women in one Facebook Support Group for narcissistic abuse survivors
• Chiara was a victim of narcissistic abuse for 4 years
• What is love bombing?
• The cycle of abuse and attachment leads to trauma bonds
• There is a chemical element to trauma bonds
• What are the signs of narcissistic abuse?
• Sometimes people with NPD are not intentionally trying to hurt
• How did Chiara come to know she was a victim of narcissistic abuse
• A Lot of shame can come up for people finding out they were abuse victims
• Chiara’s coping skills and road to recovery
• Running from the pain won’t make it go away, it will resurface if you don’t process it
• Chiara’s advice for those in recovery entering a new relationship
• Narcissism is still not fully understood, so it’s important to spread awareness

You can find Chiara Marullo online at:

This season we’re really going into the messages I needed to hear when I was on my healing journey and learning from people I would have needed (and still do sometimes) as I was learning to take better care of myself. This conversation I had with today’s guest, Ashley Beaudin, is going to change the way you think about work and business and what it is that you choose to do to sustain your life on this planet.

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney discusses:

• She’s obsessed with donuts, blankets, and her pink couches
• Her passion for her work on self-sabotage come from her own story
• The definition of slow business and self-care
• Focusing on safety and care as the intention of your business
• How the internet has impacted business and hustle culture
• Questions to ask yourself when running a business
• Ashley’s past businesses and structures that didn't serve her and lead to the path of slow business
• What do we do when our business triggers us?
• Layering support and what what means to Ashley
• What are the ideal feelings to strive for in business?
• What if your business felt like being held?
• Business can be a mirror for self growth and personal healing
• Quitting can be empowering!
• You are the worthy one, not your achievements

You can find Ashley Beaudin online at:

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney speaks with today's guest Michael Sanchez. Michael is an incredible TikTok expert who’s been one of the biggest names in business and entrepreneurship when it comes to social media, creators, and the internet for the last 7 years. It’s a helpful episode for anyone who wants to know what it’s like to do what I and so many of your favorite online creators experience in their lives. Enjoy!

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Michael describes his curiosity for life, people, and how things work
• How Michael would define social media, burnout, and creator
• The questions to ask yourself as a creator when experiencing burnout
• How your goals and desires change in social media and why you might need to “fall back in love” with it to reduce burnout.
• 28% of American kids want to be a YouTuber and here’s what we need to understand about that
• The history of social media and how we got “here”
• Michael discusses the very first influencer back in the Myspace days
• The idea of “you don’t know what you don’t know” can cause creator burnout
• Community building as a creator is key to finding balance and empathy in this space
• Creators a lot of the time are people who got lucky and it’s overwhelming
• Followers are the boss AND the customer
• Michaels advice of singling in on the idea of one audience member and serving them
• We need to be our own best boss as self-employed individuals
• Michaels predictions for the future of social media
• The fear of A.I. and what that could mean for all of social media
• The positive impacts of social media
• Michaels lasting message of “social media/entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone, AND THAT’S OKAY.”

You can find Michael online at:

Website: https://www.michael.consulting/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/tiktoksecrets

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michael.consulting/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/michaelgrowth?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelwastaken/

Dr. Courtney Tracy’s additional offerings:

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney sits down with an incredible psychotherapist, Dr. Therese Mascardo. Dr. Mascardo is a Filipina-American Licensed Clinical Psychologist, and the CEO and Founder of Exploring Therapy, wellness community with the mission to help all people live more healthy, free, and connected lives that they absolutely love. Get ready to learn how efficiency is great until it removes our humanity.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Describes her being happiest cooking for others and being a foodie in Lisbon
• Why talking about toxic productivity matters to Dr. Therese and how her brothers suicide impacted her and her mission
• Building a life you don’t need a vacation from (we allll need to do this!)
• What is toxicity and what is productivity?
• Toxic productivity is the American Model and it wasn’t always this way
• How we can blame the lightbulb for our current system (jk…mostly)
• The pandemic gave those with privilege the ability to walk away and change priorities
• The 3 main components of toxic productivity
• How in 2020 women & caretakers were forced to “do it all”
• We need to feed ourselves before we can feed others (literally and metaphorically)
• How our culture and society rewards overwork AKA “Hustle Culture”
• The generational and gender differences between productivity
• Rest is a part of being productive, not the opposite of productivity
• How us at on an individual level can combat toxic productivity within our means
• Don’t make your pain more painful (and how do this!)
• How being a resident of another country can change your perspective and values
• American efficiency is great until it removes our humanity

You can find Dr. Mascardo online at:

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney shares space with a fellow licensed mental health professional who struggles with her mental health, Megan McKernan. Megan is a LCSW in the state of Maryland who owns a practice called Clarity Wellness Solutions. On her website, she says “Everyone has their own trauma. What matters is how we deal with it” and that is essentially what we discuss today!

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Megan lets us know her astrological sign and who she is as a person
• Megan believes mental health care is a right, not a privilege
• Defining PTSD and C-PTSD for the audience
• As a therapist that struggles, what does that look like for Megan?
• Setting boundaries while recovering (SO important!)
• What was it like suffering from childhood trauma and now working with children?
• How meditation can happen anywhere, even in the car (yessss)
• What does mindfulness look for Megan
• Things Megan did that she thought were self care but were actually autopilot
• Being mindful of the intention of a coping skill (such an important message)
• Different types of boundaries are there and what worked for Megan
• Difference between rigid, flexible, and semi-permeable boundaries
• How showing up authentically validates others inadvertently
• What fighting the stigma against mental health looks like
• As a therapist how to push through for your clients
• Breaking down myths about PTSD

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney talks with Josiah Sanchez. Josiah, known as The Perspective Mentor, is the creator of the brand Forgotten Mindset and is a mindset coach for people struggling with motivation, emotional awareness, and their life story.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Josiah's ability to feel so deeply is what makes him human (so great to hear from a man!)
• Josiah’s definition of purpose and meaning
• What is NLP and examples of how to tap into it
• What is our “life story?” Who determines our life story?
• Breaking down the difference between emotional awareness and emotional intelligence
• Diving into your feelings to find the truth behind them
• Your personality is broken down by how you think, feel, and act
• Josiah’s perspective on the older perspective of mental health vs now
• His brand “The forgotten mindset” and how it came to be
• Emotional intelligence can require anchors and cues and that’s okay
• What does “rewriting” your story look like?
• Just start by dipping your feet in the water, don’t worry about diving in
• Doing things “on purpose, with purpose”
• How his body building career influenced his life
• Where do the stories in our head come from?
• Just because you know about your emotions, doesn’t mean you don’t still feel them
• The ability to feel is the ability to get closer to your inner freedom

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney gets real about her main mental health struggle, Borderline Personality Disorder, with a fellow person with BPD, Mollie. Mollie is the host of the wildly popular BPD-focused podcast, Back From The Borderline, and the creator of the companion Instagram account, @backfromtheborderline.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Mollie discusses her mission to become an emotional grown up (something so many of us need to do...)
• Realizing your parents are flawed humans like you (yikes!)
• Dr. Courtney discusses KARMA the group discussion at her old treatment center
• How BPD has been defined and how it is defined today by Mollie (so helpful!)
• Why Mollie created her podcast Back from the Borderline
• How many people have BPD and why you probably know someone who has it (spoiler: you do if you're listening to this podcast)
• The criteria for Borderline Personality Disorder from the DSM-5
• Mollie discusses how the symptoms she experiences are universal but for those who struggle with BPD are chronic (YES)
• Why it’s sometimes called "EUPD" vs "BPD"
• Molly shares her experience going to a psychiatrist and how that unfolded
• Hypersexuality and using sex as self-harm (one of Dr. Courtney's biggest self-harming techniques as well)
• Suicidal ideation as a result of undiagnosed BPD
• Medication vs Coping Skills
• Spirituality as a means of re-parenting and more of Molly’s coping skills

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney dives back into the topic of food, body, and eating with registered dietician Lauren Dorman. Lauren brings her clinical experience and gives us even more to focus on when it comes to our nutritional wellbeing!

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• How Lauren’s purpose as a dietician has changed over the years (important!)
• Did you know that “health is not guaranteed”? If you don’t know this, you should.
• What is “disordered eating”? What is “dieting”?
• How diet culture starts with the shame of our bodies at a very young age (without early knowledge, we’re conditioned to struggle)
• A MAJOR misconception of how many people with eating disorders are actually ‘underweight’
• The “eating spectrum” – from adaptive eating to an eating disorder
• Important signs of disordered eating
• How eating disorders and substance use disorders share similarities (super important!)
• The physical side effects of eating disorders
• How to view food as morally equivalent, no “good” or “bad” food
• When do you know it’s time to seek help for a possible eating disorder?
• Isolation + social media time increase has made eating disorders rise (yes, we needed to go there!)
• How parents can play an active and passive role in their child developing an eating disorder (sorry but it’s true and we need to know!)
• Lauren discusses her passion for educating schools and changing curriculum
• Why you’ve actually never “failed” a diet
• Lauren shares the biggest myth about dieting and diet culture
• How to balance medical recommendations and diet culture

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney dives into the personal experience of being a woman who has been sexually assaulted with her guest Amie Jensen. Amie shares what happened, how she got through it, and what it changed in her life and in her relationships.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• How Amie’s realtor career is related to her connection with Earth and spirituality
• What is “sexual trauma” and CPTSD?
• Discussing how every 68 seconds someone is sexually assaulted
• Why Dr. Courtney couldn’t stop saying “wow” when they were discussing the statistics around this topic
• Amie shares her experience with sexual assault and rape (TW) including her Freeze response and how it made her develop shame and feel as though she lost part of herself
• How our ability to share our traumas verbally changes over time / what it’s like to journey yourself towards the ability to be open and share the truth
• Self-blame/self-shame around “not doing anything to stop it”
• How our trauma responses could make us push our support system away
• What different responses to trauma can look like, some specifics to sexual trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze or appease)
• What is an “enthusiastic yes” when it comes to consent?
• How if you understand your behaviors it becomes easier to heal from them
• Amie describes her new book on relationships, The Art of the Rosebud Relationship, and how she relates it to her healing journey
• A message from Amie to all women (it’s so helpful)
• Book resources for women who want to develop and grow their spiritual practice and mental health/trauma healing journeys

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney holds space for an incredibly resilient human being, burn/trauma survivor, and

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• How tall (or short) both Kiki and Dr. Courtney are
• Kiki’s “Why” as a trauma burn survivor who wants to ‘pay it forward’
• The similarities and differences between emotional and physical scars
• Kiki shares the story of her traumatic experience (it’s important – trigger warning: fire sound effects) & honors her mother while sharing it
• How Kiki navigated being undocumented and traumatized to come out the other side using her ability to educate herself and honor her parents’ legacy and hard work (the definition of resilience)
• What it means to “come home to your body” after receiving physical trauma scars
• How you may react when watching news similar to traumas that you have been through and how to turn your mind towards helping, healing, and representation
• Tips to build back confidence and releasing your self-doubt after trauma
• What community can do for you as a trauma survivor
• Two people who have changed Kiki’s life (and how to be more like them!)
• Advice for people who can’t seem to see the world as anything but unjust after facing extremely traumatic situations (hint: lean into the safe spaces)
• How to respond to people with physical scars (what to say and what not to say)
• A myth about scars that actually isn’t true a lot of the time
• Kiki’s Three Cs “Curiosity cultivates connection” (we love this!!)

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney dives into the depths of diet culture and intuitive eating with the OG IG therapist, Tiffany Roe.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Tiffany answers the question of “Why” when it comes to deconstruction and mental health healing
• What is “diet culture” and “intuitive eating”?
• How YOU can be a part of diet culture even if you have never dieted
• The tenets of diet culture
• How intuitive eating is a form of self-care (and the history of it!)
• Why humans started dieting in the first place
• How the hell we got to talking about dieting as a “culture” and moving away from it as a society (outside of medical conditions & needs)
• The good, the bad, and the ugly of dieting (there can be some good and that’s important! – and there’s a lot of bad & ugly)
• How dieting can lead to eating disorders (1 in 5)
• The way you can combat the rampant diet culture messages that are everywhere you turn
• The relationship between the oppression and ableism seen in society
• How intuitive eating is different than a diet
• How to do intuitive eating if you can’t trust your intuition (and/or if you have mental health or eating disorder or substance use issues)
• How to see if you have built a relationship between food and shame
• The biggest myth that diet culture tells us

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney dives into the differences between therapy and mental health coaching with an excellent (and super qualified) mental health coach, Elissa Burdick.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Elissa describes herself as a human outside of being a mental health coach (ACEs and difficult upbringing)
• Why she wanted to help others (hint: she got help too & the story is great)
• What is “mental health coaching”?
• What are the differences between mental health coaching and licensed professional therapy?
• Elissa discusses her path from Master’s level therapist to mental health coach instead and how she treats “sub-clinical” issues her clients are facing
• The possible credentials and specific abilities of coaches (and how much this matters!)
• The biggest mental health problem we face as human beings today: Elissa’s answer will really surprise you (can you guess it?)
• Why mental health coaches are far more focused on actionable skills than what many consider to be “talk therapy” in the clinical model of mental health care
• The mess that is the mental health care in America
• Which clients are appropriate for mental health coaching and who are not (this screening is so important!)
• Sign of a good coach: Coordination of care between coaches, therapists, doctors and more
• Why Elissa believes more and more therapists are becoming coaches

In this episode of the HUMAN First podcast, Dr. Courtney explores her clinical expertise with another addiction expert, author and therapist, Amanda E. White.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Amanda tells the truth about how she used to lie to her therapists (and why!)
• What is “sober curious” and when should we investigate if this could be good for us?
• Different types of sobriety: “maintenance” “California sober” “harm reduction”
• History of substance use treatment from asylums to community-based care like Alcoholics Anonymous
• Our thoughts on “always being an addict” or “always being an alcoholic” (Hint: Depends on the person!)
• How to evaluate or reevaluate your relationship with alcohol through many processes described in Amanda’s new book “Not Drinking Tonight: A Guide to Creating A Sober Life You Love”
• How you’ve been conditioned to drink in all areas of your life because alcohol is a “main character” in this society (so true)
• What is “disordered drinking” and what does a more broad spectrum of substance usage look like?
• What are the signs you’re becoming addicted to something?
• How shame and relapse are related and what to do about it
• How do you create a life you love and a life of meaning to help maintain your recovery?
• Details on Amanda’s new book and where to get it (you need this)
• The #1 thing you need to do to really start your journey of healing (from a therapist!)

In the first episode of Dr. Courtney Tracy’s relaunched HUMAN First podcast (formerly The Truth Doctor Show), she dives into the topic of relationships with one of her favorite couples therapists from sunny San Diego, Katie Miles.

Here is a list of the topics/questions they discuss:

• Unique story about how Katie decided to become a therapist after not thriving in her dream career and having a panic attack at work during her quarter-life crisis
• When and why did we ever think our relationships could/would be *perfect*?
• History lesson: Our relationships were based on economics in the beginning until Pride and Prejudice changed everything?!! You NEED to know this.
• Why do we choose certain relationships/friendships and/or certain partners?
• What are the standards of a “good enough” relationship?
• What influences what millennials / Gen Z expect in our relationships? (Spoiler: Jen & Brad + The Notebook + your parents)
• Learn how Katie works with each of the individuals in a relationship during therapy (insight into what couples therapy is like)
• The #1 Myth that people believe about relationships that leads them into couples therapy
• Dr. Tracy gets existential about relationships towards the end because she can’t help it (of course)
• Biggest takeaway for people struggling in their relationship right now (thank you!!)

Have you ever experienced trauma? Has anyone ever told you that your actually NOT crazy for having trauma responses and that they are actually something good about you? If you answered yes to the first question and no to the second, then this episode is for you. In this episode, Dr. Tracy speaks with Crystle Lampitt, a licensed therapist, speaker, and trauma specialist committed to dispelling the myths about mental health that keep us feeling sad, sick, and stuck. She works with clients navigating trauma, anxiety, depression, codependency, abuse recovery, multi-ethnic identity, and the vast array of difficult experiences that come with being human. You don't want to miss this episode! 

This week on the Truth Doctor Podcast, Dr. Courtney Tracy talks to psychologist and mindfulness-meditation practitioner Dr. Jennifer Wolkin! They discuss her book, “Quick Calm,” and how it only takes 5 minutes of mindfulness a day to live a better life. Dr. Wolkin explains how important it is to embrace compassionate curiosity and allow yourself to appreciate the little things. This episode is also full of some tips that help you recognize the little, everyday stressors in life so they no longer impact you as much. We hope you enjoy the conversation!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice, or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

This week on the Truth Doctor Podcast, Dr. Courtney Tracy speaks with spiritual guide, meditation teacher, and transformational speaker Sah D’Simone! The two discuss his journey with spirituality and how he felt he was doing it wrong, his books about living a more happy life, and his TedTalk called “Graduating From Family Trauma.” Sah also shares what made him choose to teach joy, and that we are all — to an extent — addicted to suffering. We hope you can relate to what Sah has to say and that you enjoy this week’s episode!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

Welcome back to the Truth Doctor Podcast! This week, Dr. Courtney Tracy talks about existential anxiety. She explains why we question reality, why we question the purpose of life, what it means to be human, and what it means to have thoughts — with more existential questions to be answered in part 2! Dr. Tracy believes we should be taught these things from a young age, so that we’re not labeled as having an “existential crisis” for asking these questions later in life. This episode is alllll about normalizing the fact that we want to know about why we’re here on this planet, as long as it’s not too debilitating for us to think about!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

On this week’s special episode of The Truth Doctor podcast, Dr. Courtney Tracy takes a step back and lets DiveThru founder Sophie Gray take the reins! Dr. Tracy opens up about her childhood trauma, love and loss, as well as her academic journey in psycho-education. The two chat about substance abuse, building a business, and the importance of chasing your purpose. Dr. Tracy also shares an exciting announcement which reinforces the idea that just because you’re good at something, doesn’t mean it makes you happy!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

Trigger Warning: Suicide

Anxiety can impact every part of the body. After last week’s episode with Christina Wolfgram, Dr. Courtney Tracy explains that anxiety affects more than just your thoughts and emotions, and can actually control physical symptoms as well – everything from heartbeat and breathing, to libito and bowel movements. This physical anxiety can also cause long-term problems, and Dr. Tracy delves into how you can heal yourself by connecting your body, mind, and spirit.

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

This week, comedian and content creator Christina Wolfgram sits down with Dr. Tracy! Christina opens up about her anxiety and how she has dealt with the anxiety through the different phases of her life. The two discuss everything from anxiety poop, to quitting jobs, to what success looks like for Christina. We can’t wait for you to listen and hear what you think!

Please NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

Trigger Warning: Self-Harm, Eating Disorders

Welcome back to The Truth Doctor podcast! This week, Dr. Courtney Tracy speaks with self-love enthusiast and mental health advocate Kenzie Brenna. The two dive into Kenzie’s history with eating disorder and body image issues, and how she is now using her experience to help others.

Kenzie talks about the conversations you have on social media, and with yourself, and that they should come from a place of understanding rather than criticism. She also emphasizes how important it is to reflect on what you’re about to say before you say it, because everyone you’re interacting with online is going through something different.

We can’t for you to hear Kenzie’s passionate take on self-love!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

After the last episode of The Truth Doctor podcast, Dr. Courtney Tracy dissects her conversation with Zachery Dereniowski. She takes a deeper look into his formula of vulnerability = relatability = empowerment, and what exactly each of those things mean. Dr. Tracy pulls from examples such as Meghan Markle’s groundbreaking Oprah interview to show what authentic empowerment through vulnerability can look like. We hope you enjoy this episode!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

This week on The Truth Doctor Podcast, Dr. Courtney Tracy speaks with former college drop-out turned motivational speaker, Zachery Dereniowski! He went from a 0.59 GPA in his freshman year of college, to making a comeback with a 4.0 GPA and a 512 MCAT score on his first attempt. Now, by being publicly vulnerable about his experience, he is able to empower students who are in the same position he was.

Dr. Tracy and Zach talk about his formula of vulnerability = relatability = empowerment, him forming the Mental Health Movement Clothing Company with Jake Goodman, and his current journey with medical school and social media. They also discuss mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic and how he hopes to break stigma and help others take control of their lives by putting themselves first.

You will definitely be able to relate to Zach’s story of self-discovery and we hope you enjoy this episode!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

Following her episode with Jake Goodman, Dr. Courtney Tracy breaks down failure and success. The two are actually very interconnected and have one specific thing in common – they only exist in the mind of the person who is experiencing them. Dr. Tracy delves into how this subjective experience can be determined by expectations that we set for ourselves, and the expectations society lays out for us.

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

On today’s episode, Dr. Tracy talks with 4th-year medical student, MBA, and CEO/Founder of Mental Health Movement Clothing Company, Jake Goodman! He’s a guy with a lot on the go, but he is well on his way to becoming an incredible and influential psychiatrist. Jake and Dr. Tracy talk about how he began his social media journey, his perseverance and success through failure, and how he wants to positively impact the mental health of people on a large scale.

Dr. Tracy talks with Jake about what his journey with mental health was like and what drove his desire to become a doctor and mental health professional. The two discuss the importance of breaking the stigma, access to mental health services, and what they hope the future of psychiatry will look like (with Jake’s help)!

We know you’re going to enjoy this episode and fall in love with Jake and his mission!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

Welcome back to The Truth Doctor! In this episode Dr. Tracy breaks down the conversation she had in the last episode with Rachel Brady. Dr. Tracy breaks down the criteria to be diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder and the different levels of substance abuse disorders that exist. If you haven't already, please go listen to our last episode and hear Rachel’s story!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

In this episode Dr. Courtney Tracy sits down with Rachel Brady. Rachel is a reformed party girl who is now making it her mission to raise awareness about living a sober life. Rachel opens up to Dr. Tracy about what led her to addiction and when she finally learned why she was drinking. Rachel explains why she had a fear of getting sober and the concept of a "dry drunk." Dr. Tracy (an addiction specialist)  and Rachel have an amazingly impactful and interesting conversation and we can’t wait for you to listen!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

In this bonus Valentine’s Day episode Dr. Tracy and her husband Max answer all your questions about their relationship and how they navigate life together!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.

Have you ever dabbled in journaling? Following her episode with Sophie Gray, Dr. Courtney Tracy breaks down introspection. Introspection can be a tricky concept to grasp so Dr. Tracy explains exactly what it is and explores the different forms. In this episode you will also find some journal prompts to help you start your introspection journey!

PLEASE NOTE: This podcast is not therapy, clinical advice or medical advice. This podcast is intended to deliver psychoeducation and share personal experiences.