Therapist Uncensored Podcast

Sex can feel complicated when our parts get involved

Patricia Rich introduces the concept of self-led sexuality — approaching sexuality from curiosity, compassion, and connection rather than fear or conditioning. She explains how understanding our internal “parts” can help individuals navigate conflicting desires, deepen consent, and create greater safety within themselves and their relationships. Explore the complexities of sexuality, emphasizing the importance of self-led sexuality and the integration of Internal Family Systems (IFS) in sexual therapy. The conversation also examines the broader cultural forces that influence sexuality, including capitalism, gender expectations, and the silence many therapists themselves experience around sexual topics. Grounded in both clinical insight and humanity, this episode offers a refreshing framework for understanding sexuality as a space for healing, embodiment, and authentic connection.

“Listening to our desires doesn’t mean we have to act on them all. Simply acknowledging the parts of ourselves who hold those desires and validating their longings can bring inner connection and vitality.” – Patricia Rich, LCSW CST-S

Time Stamps for Bonus – Self-Led Sexuality: Reclaiming Intimacy Through IFS with Patricia Rich, LCSW CST-S (299)

01:51 The challenges of discussing sexuality

07:53 Integrating IFS into sexual therapy

13:39 The positive intentions of our parts

22:17 Self-led sexuality: Leading from within

28:01 Therapists’ relationship with sexuality

35:51 The six S’s of sexual self-energy

40:28 Creating Safety in Sexual Conversations

45:03 Exploring sensuality and its barriers

01:01:10 Exploring exiled parts and performance pressure

01:05:07 The concept of internal consent

01:11:36 Cultural influences on sexuality and self-perception

About our Guest – Patricia Rich, LCSW, CST-S (She/Her)

Patricia Rich, LCSW, CST-S (she/her) is an IFS Institute Certified Level 3 IFS Therapist and Approved Consultant and an AASECT Certified Sex Therapist and Supervisor. She has developed a unique integrative model for Self-Led Sexuality to help people findmore ease, joy, and confidence in the bedroom and beyond. She has originated IFS- informed concepts such as Internal Consent and The Six S’s of Sexual Self-Energy. Patty has presented at the IFS Annual Conference, taught a module for the IFS Institute Online Continuity program, led workshops internationally, and authored a chapter in Altogether Us: Integrating the IFS Model with Key Modalities, Communities and Trends. She offers training and consultation to professionals and loves helping people to BeHold and Lead their Internal Sexual Systems (BLISS)TM. She hosts “Self-Led in Bed: An IFS & Sexuality Podcast” and lives in the Philadelphia area where she also has a private practice. You can get her free guide to The Six S’s and learn more about her offerings at www.patriciarich.com or follow her on Instagram @patriciarichconsulting.

Resources for Bonus – Self-Led Sexuality: Reclaiming Intimacy Through IFS with Patricia Rich, LCSW CST-S (299)

Self-Led in Bed: An IFS & Sexuality Podcast – Patricia’s podcast

Patricia’s website – Information & resources

IFS Integration: A Comprehensive Guide to Applying Internal Family Systems Across Modalities, Populations, and Clinical Presentations – Check out Patricia’s chapter in this book

Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!  

Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.

 

 

What does it mean to belong to more than one world at once?

Sahaj Kohli—founder of Brown Girl Therapy and author of What Will People Say?—explores the emotional complexity of bicultural identity, the immigrant experience, and the hidden pressures of being “culturally enough.” Together, we explore how culture shapes mental health, why many therapy models miss the mark for marginalized communities, and what truly culturally responsive care can look like. Sahaj also shares how social media became a lifeline for connection, community, and healing for people navigating multiple identities. This episode offers powerful insight for therapists, helpers, and anyone balancing family expectations, identity, and belonging across cultures.

“Collectives are made of individuals, and we can’t be our best selves within those collectives and in those roles if we are not also taking care of ourselves. Yet we can’t be our best selves as individuals without considering the collective and our communities.” – Sahaj Kohli

Time Stamps for Between Two Worlds: Navigating Bicultural Identity with Sahaj Kohli (298)

03:46 Cultural identity and the immigrant experience

07:28 The birth of Brown Girl Therapy

11:22 Understanding the dominant narrative

15:07 Cultural differences in communication and boundaries

19:05 Cultural responsiveness in therapy

26:49 The burden of cultural “enoughness”

29:11 Navigating pride and shame in biculturalism

31:08 Grief and loss in cultural transition

39:20 Resources for bicultural and multicultural understanding

About our Guest – Sahaj Kohli MA.Ed, LGPC, NCC 

Sahaj Kohli by Beowulf Sheehan

Sahaj Kaur Kohli MA.Ed, LGPC, NCC is an award-winning therapist and mental health educator. She is the founder of Brown Girl Therapy (@browngirltherapy), the first and largest mental health and wellness community organization for adult children of immigrants, an advice columnist for the Washington Post, and host and creator of the limited series podcast, So We’ve Been Told. Sahaj is also author of the book, “But What Will People Say: Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love and Family Between Cultures” named one of Audible’s “best of” in 2024. With a 6+ year career in journalism under her belt, Sahaj’s passion lies at the intersection of narrative storytelling and mental health advocacy. You can follow Sahaj’s writing on Substack: Culturally Enough. is a resource for the community and The Bicultural Brief is a resource for clinicians who want to be more culturally responsive in their care. Sahaj’s words and work have been featured across media, like in Today, NPR, Good Morning America, CNN, The New York Times, and others. Sahaj also serves as a corporate consultant, educator and international speaker.

Resources for Between Two Worlds: Navigating Bicultural Identity with Sahaj Kohli (298)

@BrownGirlTherapy – Sahaj’s Instagram profile

Sahaj’s Website – Resources, information, events & more

But What Will People Say? Navigating Mental Health, Identity, Love, and Family Between Cultures – Get your copy today!!

Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!  

Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.

 

 

 

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Patreon/Supercast Special Release –

Bonus – The 5 Phases of Divorce: From Heartbreak to Healing with Oona Metz (297)

This is a sneak peek of our episode with Oona Metz – available only on our Premium Supercast and Patreon platforms. For as little as $5/month you can have access to special releases like this one, first-to-know about upcoming events and discounts and an ad-free feed.

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Divorce Isn’t One Moment—It’s 5 Phases

Therapist and author Oona Metz draws on three decades of experience supporting women through divorce. She breaks down the emotional arc of separation through her five-phase model, offering a clear lens into the grief, upheaval, and eventual growth that can unfold. The episode also explores common misconceptions, practical guidance for clinicians and individuals, and the powerful role of support groups in the healing process.

“Well meaning friends and family who are not divorced often can’t grasp the weight of uncertainty that coincides with dismantling a family. No one brings a lasagna or sends flowers when a marriage dies.” – Oona Metz, LCSW CGP

Time Stamps for Bonus – The 5 Phases of Divorce: From Heartbreak to Healing with Oona Metz 

06:40 Contemplating divorce: The struggle and decision-making process

12:22 The five phases of divorce: Understanding heartbreak

26:03 Mending: Healing and self-care after divorce

28:14 Navigating parenting through divorce

30:54 The process of letting go

54:28 Supporting friends through divorce

About our Guest – Oona Metz, LCSW CGP

I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker, a Certified Group Psychotherapist, and a Fellow of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. I have 30 years of experience working with individuals, families, and groups. My private practice offices are located in Brookline and Arlington, Massachusetts.  I am active on numerous committees and boards related to group therapy and prioritize ongoing learning in diversity, equity, and inclusion. My practice is focused on individual adults, and group therapy. I specialize in working with women+ who are in transition. Whether transitioning from college to graduate school or work, beginning or ending a relationship or job, becoming a parent or empty nester, or coming out to family and friends, these experiences offer an opportunity for reflection, insight and meaningful change

Resources for Bonus – The 5 Phases of Divorce: From Heartbreak to Healing with Oona Metz 

Oona’s Website – Resources, trainings & other information

Unhitched: The Essential Divorce Guide for Women – Get your copy on Oona’s book

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Our Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!

Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others.

Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout

Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s

Equanimity isn’t about staying calm—it’s about staying present when it matters most

Explore the role of equanimity, mindfulness, and compassion in navigating an increasingly complex world. Special guest Margaret Cullen alongside co-host Sue Marriott discuss the evolution of mindfulness in modern culture, the foundations of compassion-based practices, and how these approaches can support resilience and emotional balance. Grounded in both clinical insight and lived practice, this conversation offers a thoughtful, accessible perspective on cultivating steadiness and clarity in the midst of ongoing challenges.

“Equanimity is love meeting vulnerability.” – Margaret Cullen, LMFT

Timestamps for Inner Stability in an Unstable World: Margaret Cullen on Equanimity (296)

02:10 The evolution of mindfulness in western culture

06:29 Cultural backlash and the search for peace

09:44 The role of social media in our lives

19:09 Equanimity: A deep dive into its meaning

26:00 Recognizing equanimity in daily life

30:13 Practices to cultivate equanimity

37:16 Resources for mindfulness and equanimity

About out Guest – Margaret Cullen, LMFT

Margaret Cullen is a licensed psychotherapist and a pioneer in bringing contemplative practices into mainstream settings. She was one of the first ten people to be certified as an MBSR instructor and has taught around the world. As a therapist, she facilitated psycho-social support groups for cancer patients and their loved ones for over 30 years. She has led research studies on the impact of contemplative programs for a wide variety of populations across the US and co-developed the Compassion Cultivation Training with Thupten Jinpa at the Stanford University School of Medicine and the Mindfulness and Compassion Training for military spouses with Amishi Jha at University of Miami. She is the founder of Compassion Corps, a program which brings compassion programs to underserved populations around the world. She also developed Mindfulness-Based Emotional Balance and co-authored a book about it with Gonzalo Brito Pons. She was a Senior Teacher and Curriculum Developer for Humanize, a contemplative-based dyad program founded by German neuroscientist Tania Singer. Margaret is a Mind and Life Institute Fellow, on the advisory board of the Global Compassion Coalition, and has been a meditation practitioner for over 40 years.

Resources for Inner Stability in an Unstable World: Margaret Cullen on Equanimity (296)

Margaret’s Website – Additional information, resources, and opportunities

Quiet Strength – Margaret’s newest book, purchase your copy HERE!

Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!  

Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s! Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.

 

 

Get your copy of Secure Relating here!!

You are invited! 

Join our exclusive community to get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus an ad-free, private feed. In addition, receive exclusive episodes recorded just for you. Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!!

We don’t heal alone – we heal in connection.

Prentis Hemphill, alongside co-host Sue Marriott, traces their path from social organizing to somatic therapy, revealing how personal healing and collective transformation are deeply intertwined. Together, they explore how inherited myths, power dynamics, and collective trauma shape both our inner worlds and our social systems. This episode invites therapists and change makers alike to consider healing as more than an individual process—it’s relational, embodied, and political in impact. Prentis offers grounded reflections and practical tools for working with the body, navigating power, and engaging in healing that extends beyond the self.

“When we are courageous, we can do the unexpected and start to mold the world around a vision bigger than one produced by fear. Every inch of progress, every ounce of love, every truly meaningful action from here on out will happen through courage, not comfort.”  – Prentis Hemphill

Time Stamps for Where Personal Healing Meets Collective Change (295)

06:15 The interplay of interpersonal and systemic dynamics 09:31 The challenge of updating therapeutic practices 16:49 Impact of myths on human behavior 20:32 Reflections on current political climate and collective trauma 24:10 The myth of “American Exceptionalism” 36:50 Self-care and community engagement 40:07 Resources for healing and transformation

About our Guest – Prentis Hemphill

Prentis Hemphill is the bestselling author of What It Takes to Heal, a groundbreaking exploration of healing, justice, and transformation. A therapist, somatics teacher, facilitator, political organizer, and writer, Prentis is also the founder of The Embodiment Institute and a leading voice in embodied leadership and collective healing. For over a decade, Prentis has worked with individuals and organizations through their most challenging moments of change—navigating leadership transitions, conflict, and the alignment of practice with values. Grounded in an embodied approach, their work ensures that our intentions aren’t just ideas, but are fully lived, felt, and practiced. Before founding The Embodiment Institute, Prentis served as the Healing Justice Director at Black Lives Matter Global Network and was a lead somatics teacher with generative somatics and Black Organizing for Leadership and Dignity (BOLD). They hold an M.A. in Clinical Psychology and have provided therapeutic services in low-cost mental health clinics, centering marginalized communities. Prentis has contributed to Atlas of the Heart (Brené Brown), The Politics of Trauma (Staci K. Haines), You Are Your Best Thing (edited by Brené Brown & Tarana Burke), and Holding Change (adrienne maree brown). They are also the creator and host of the acclaimed podcasts Finding Our Way and Becoming the People, which have surpassed over a million downloads. At its core, Prentis’ work challenges the complacency of mainstream therapeutic models, infusing healing with the rigor of justice, repair, and accountability. They believe that reclaiming feeling and relationship creates space for true transformation—in ourselves, our movements, and the world. Prentis lives on a small farm in Durham, NC, with their partner, Kasha, their child, and two dogs.

!!NEW OPPORTUNITY!! READING POD STARTING MAY 1ST!

Looking to deep dive into Prentis’s book? Co-host Sue Marriott is hosting a weekly Zoom reading pod – with a potential author Q&A at the conclusion. First session starts May 1st. $10/session and $5/session for our Supercast and Neuronerds. Learn more and reserve your spot – HERE!

Resources for Where Personal Healing Meets Collective Change with Prentis Hemphill (295)

The Embodiment Institute – Training institute, research entity, and culture change engine that strategically develops people and organizations to be agents of transformation in families, social movements and the environment. Prentis’s Website – Resources and information “Becoming the People” – Prentis’s podcast What It Takes to Heal; Published 2024 by Penguin Random House -Prentis’s book, get your copy today!

Beyond Attachment Styles course is available NOW!  

Learn how your nervous system, your mind, and your relationships work together in a fascinating dance, shaping who you are and how you connect with others. Online, Self-Paced, Asynchronous Learning with Quarterly Live Q&A’s. Earn 6 Continuing Education Credits – Available at Checkout As a listener of this podcast, use code BAS15 for a limited-time discount.

Get your copy of Secure Relating here!!

You are invited! 

Join our exclusive community to get early access and discounts to things we produce, plus an ad-free, private feed. In addition, receive exclusive episodes recorded just for you. Sign up for our premium Neuronerd plan!! Click here!!