On The Couch With Dr Tracie Rogers

I am chatting with Counselling Psychologist Trishsanna Poyah-Rasul On the Couch about Parenting Teens. The teenage years are some of the toughest years of parenting for many people.  It can be extremely challenging, not to mention scary when we see our teens transition into adulthood. We want to keep them safe and protect them and they seem to want the absolute opposite - they want to take risks and stand on their own. In our conversation, Trishsanna and I discuss why risk-taking is a natural and normal part of adolescence. You cannot prevent your teen from taking risks; you can only trust your parenting and give them safe parameters within which to do so. In this epospde, learn 6 tips to help you with parenting your teens. 

Akilah Riley Richardson is with me for this episode of On the Couch, and we are talking about how we handle emotions in our intimate partner relationships. Emotions create a powerful force that can strengthen or undermine the 'couple system'. Healthy couples have heated arguments and stressful interactions; however what distinguishes them from unhealthy couples, is their capacity for emotional intelligence. These couples have an awareness of the emotions in the room and manage them in a wise and empathetic way. They have created the emotional safety to contain negative emotions, and more importantly to drill down to the heart of the matter.  Building an emotionally healthy relationship is not magic, instead, it takes a commitment and willingness to have 'hard conversations' in a non-judgemental manner. It requires creating an emotionally safe space where partners can be vulnerable and heard without fear and judgement. In this 2-part episode, Akilah and I peel through the expression of secondary emotions

 A few years ago I was introduced to the work of psychiatrist and trauma expert, Bessel van der Kolk by my colleague Sachelle LeGall-Singh. Bessel's work emphasizes that human memory is a sensory experience or as he would say it, "The body keeps the score". In our 2-part discussion on Trauma and the Body, Sachelle and I discuss body-based approaches to treating with the impact of trauma on the body. What happens to the mind, also happens to the body and there are several body-based therapeutic approaches that seek to release emotional pain in the body. These include creative arts therapies (dance/movement, music and drama therapies) as well as yoga, meditation and cranio-sacral therapy. Sachelle is a clinical psychologist and cranio-sacral therapist, and in this segment of our discussion, she speaks to this approach to releasing emotional pain that gets trapped in the body. 

In this episode of On the Couch, Akilah Riley-Richardson discusses how to overcome self-sabotage in family relationships.

During our festive seasons, addictions are more visible and often very disruptive to family relationships and friendships. Karline Brathwaite is On the Couch discussing addictions and how to support friends and family members who are struggling. In our second segment, Karline gives 4 practical tips that you can use to treat with loved ones struggling with addiction. 

Clinical Psychologist Keshan Latchman discusses Men and Mental Health with Tracie Rogers in this 2-part episode of our “On the Couch” video series. We tend to teach our boys and men to control their emotions. As a result of these socialization processes, men are discouraged from seeking help when they are facing tough emotions. Is gender socialization predisposing our men to stifle their emotions, hide their emotional suffering and ultimately causing poor mental health outcomes for our men? What are your thoughts? 

Wholeness and Wellness Counselling Director, Tracie Rogers and Sexologist Onika Henry continue their discussion on Intimacy, Sexuality and Emotional Health in this second segment. Sex and sexuality tend to be taboo areas and many of us don't know how to begin to talk about it. This 2-part discussion with Onika is a great start. 

 We're back 'On The Couch' with Dr Tracie Rogers and WWCS practitioner, Akilah Riley-Richardson, MSW. as they discuss -Postpartum Depression.   Postpartum Depression is extremely commonplace. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 10% of pregnant women and 13% of women who have just given birth experience this type of depression. Furthermore, WHO forwards that the statistics in developing countries for PPD is even higher - 15.6% during pregnancy and 19.8% after childbirth. Research has shown us that this potentially severe mood disorder can be caused by hormonal changes and or contextual factors as social economic and cultural factors. In light of the above, it is critical that women learn to care for themselves as they care for their babies. It certainly isn't easy, as the tasks of new motherhood are pretty demanding. It is so easy to become invisible to yourself when your focus is on your little one. Caring for yourself during this time requires a deep recognition t

This week I am speaking with Clinical Social Worker and Couples’ Therapist Akilah Riley Richardson about toxic relationships. We discuss two ways in which people often show up in relationships - as love avoidant and love addicts. These are destructive patterns that can undermine our connections with others, but we don’t have to get stuck in these cycles. Tune in for an intriguing 2-part episode that can give you enormous insight into how you love and how you allow yourself to be loved.

Dr Krystal-Jane Verasammy is On the Couch as we examine young people and depression. The World Health Organisation estimates that 1 in 33 young people between the ages of 13 and 25 are struggling with depression. Is this a serious problem? Krystal-Jane breaks it down like this: In every Secondary School classroom in T&T, there is likely 1 teen who is suffering from depression. Learn about the relationship between depression, self-harm and suicidal thoughts as well as what can be done to help young people in this 2-part discussion.

Dr Krystal-Jane Verasammy talks about managing grief and loss in this episode of On the Couch. Grief is a complex process and there is no “one size fits all” for treating and managing grief. We discuss the range of feelings you may experience and how to know if you need professional help to work through those feelings.

Art Therapist Camille Bartholomew gives is is 3 ways that parents can help children and young people who are coping with death, dying and loss in this episode of On the Couch. Children and young people grieve differently from adults and have unique ways of processing thoughts and feelings. In our second segment, we discuss unresolved grief and how it can hurt young people and their relationships.

Akilah Riley RIchardson is On the Couch discussing Ghosting. Ghosting occurs when someone ends a personal relationship by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication. It is not the same as a “break-up” or telling someone that you are ending a relationship. Ghosting involves physically disappearing from someone’s life with no indication or warning. In this 2-part episode, we will discuss why ghosting can create a unique form of grief for the person who has been ghosted. We well examine how ghosting can trigger intense emotions as rejection, fear, invalidation and inadequacy. Take a listen and learn why these acts hurt and how to manage these tough emotions.