Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
What do you do when your relationship is hard but you can't tell if it's worth saving, or if your trauma history is making it feel worse than it is? This week on Ask Kati Anything, Kati answers seven listener questions about the moments when your instincts feel unreliable and your symptoms get in the way.
In this episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton, LMFT, covers when to stay in a relationship vs when to leave, how attachment wounds and fear of abandonment distort your read on a partner, how to start therapy when you have BPD, bulimia, self-harm, and constant flashbacks but no clear goal, what healthy love actually looks like beyond social media, why you feel empty after a good night out with friends, how to break shame spirals using vulnerability and grounding, how to find yourself again after burnout, depression, or a traumatic event, and inner child work techniques for meeting your own emotional needs.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:56 When to stay vs leave a relationship, attachment, BPD, complex PTSD
12:00 Starting therapy with bulimia, BPD, self-harm, and dissociation
19:00 What healthy love really looks like
25:11 Feeling empty after going out, depression breakthrough symptoms
28:39 Shame spirals, rumination, and Brené Brown on vulnerability
34:25 Lack of motivation after burnout, becoming yourself after trauma
40:56 Inner child work, writing letters to your younger self
45:21 Unsolicited advice and how to respond
Submit your question for a future episode: youtube.com/@Katimorton/community
My main YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/katimorton?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-kati-anything/id1502476673
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/7itqbvflj0Q9IUDqOF5NST
Instagram: instagram.com/katimorton
Ask Kati Anything ep. 314 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
MY BOOKS
Why Do I Keep Doing This? geni.us/XoyLSQ
Traumatized geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? geni.us/sva4iUY
CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP
youtube.com/channel/UCzBYOHyEEzlkRdDOSobbpvw/join
ONLINE THERAPY
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month)
This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
#mentalhealth #therapy #askatherapist #katimorton #askkatianything #mentalhealthpodcast
What do you do when your relationship is hard but you can't tell if it's worth saving, or if your trauma history is making it feel worse than it is? This week on Ask Kati Anything, Kati answers seven listener questions about the moments when your instincts feel unreliable and your symptoms get in the way.
In this episode, licensed therapist Kati Morton, LMFT, covers when to stay in a relationship vs when to leave, how attachment wounds and fear of abandonment distort your read on a partner, how to start therapy when you have BPD, bulimia, self-harm, and constant flashbacks but no clear goal, what healthy love actually looks like beyond social media, why you feel empty after a good night out with friends, how to break shame spirals using vulnerability and grounding, how to find yourself again after burnout, depression, or a traumatic event, and inner child work techniques for meeting your own emotional needs.
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
00:56 When to stay vs leave a relationship, attachment, BPD, complex PTSD
12:00 Starting therapy with bulimia, BPD, self-harm, and dissociation
19:00 What healthy love really looks like
25:11 Feeling empty after going out, depression breakthrough symptoms
28:39 Shame spirals, rumination, and Brené Brown on vulnerability
34:25 Lack of motivation after burnout, becoming yourself after trauma
40:56 Inner child work, writing letters to your younger self
45:21 Unsolicited advice and how to respond
Submit your question for a future episode: youtube.com/@Katimorton/community
My main YouTube channel: youtube.com/c/katimorton?sub_confirmation=1
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ask-kati-anything/id1502476673
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/7itqbvflj0Q9IUDqOF5NST
Instagram: instagram.com/katimorton
Ask Kati Anything ep. 314 | Your mental health podcast, with Kati Morton, LMFT
MY BOOKS
Why Do I Keep Doing This? geni.us/XoyLSQ
Traumatized geni.us/Bfak0j
Are u ok? geni.us/sva4iUY
CHANNEL MEMBERSHIP
youtube.com/channel/UCzBYOHyEEzlkRdDOSobbpvw/join
ONLINE THERAPY
If you're looking for a therapist, BetterHelp can connect you with a licensed online professional: betterhelp.com/kati (enjoy 10% off your first month)
This is an affiliate link, which means a portion of your signup helps support the podcast at no extra cost to you.
PARTNERSHIPS
Nick Freeman | nick@biglittlemedia.co
Disclaimer:
The information provided in this video is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as medical or mental health advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any health problem or disease. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment. Viewing this content does not establish a therapist-client relationship.
#mentalhealth #therapy #askatherapist #katimorton #askkatianything #mentalhealthpodcast
