In this first of a two-part series, Lara Land sits down with Ron Souers—ADHD advocate, podcast host of Don’t Mind Me, I’m Different, and author of The Self Discovery—to explore the lived experience of ADHD and the unexpected strengths that come with it. Ron shares his personal journey with ADHD and depression, from the challenges of racing thoughts and emotional dysregulation to the harmful impact of being told “you’re not good enough” at a young age. He breaks down the three types of ADHD, common misconceptions, and how sensitivity often fuels both overreactions and deep empathy. This episode highlights how ADHD is not a deficit but an overload of information, and how reframing that difference can unlock creativity, innovation, and problem-solving. Ron also offers practical strategies—mindfulness adaptations, projecting into your future self, and nature-based practices—that help him stay grounded and focused.

Together, Lara and Ron discuss:

What ADHD feels like from the inside

How friends, family, and colleagues can better support those who are neurodivergent

The dangers of forced conformity and the power of self-acceptance

Why mindfulness is Ron’s go-to tool for balance, resilience, and presence

This conversation is full of wisdom, honesty, and encouragement—whether you’re living with ADHD or simply want to understand it better.

Stay tuned for Part Two of this conversation on Ron’s podcast: Don’t Mind Me, I Just Have ADHD.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

In this powerful episode of Beyond Trauma, I sit down with therapist and CMI™ practitioner Estefana Johnson to explore why we get stuck in loops, triggered by small things, and repeating the same patterns—despite our best efforts to change.

Together, we dive into:

• The three tiers of trauma memory and why self-talk or breathing techniques don’t always work
• How culture and past experiences shape present reactions
• Why focusing on whether an event was “traumatic” can miss the point—and how looking at critical memories and congruence offers a path forward
• The essential difference between managing symptoms and addressing root causes
• How the CMI™ method protects clinicians from burnout while helping clients access lasting healing
• Why letting clients lead—making their own connections and discoveries—creates sustainable transformation

Estefana shares how trauma is less about the event itself and more about how the body reacts without our consent in moments of survival. If you’ve ever felt “stuck,” overresponsive, or weighed down by the past, this conversation will show you why deep healing means going beyond symptom relief—and how finding and transforming the root of our hampering beliefs can free us to live fully, authentically, and with congruence.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

Julie McGuire shares her journey from suicidal depression to discovering purpose through the mountains. Using her mantra, “let me see how far I can get,” Julie illustrates how life’s hardest experiences can become tools to help others, even when our lives don’t turn out as we envisioned. Through her story, she demonstrates that you don’t have to be the best at something for it to be meaningful, and that hobbies—especially those pursued for joy, not profit—can guide personal growth, slow down the nervous system, and open you up to life’s signs.

Julie is a high school English teacher, backcountry skier, and the first woman to ski all 33 Catskill High Peaks. She volunteers with Winter4Kids, teaching students from the South Bronx to ski, and maintains trails through the New York–New Jersey Trail Conference in collaboration with the Catskills 3500 Club. She is currently pursuing a project to ski the “lower 67” and hopes to become the first person to ski the 100 highest mountains in the Catskills.

This episode discusses suicide. If you are thinking of suicide, please call 988.

In this episode, we explore:

• The significance of hobbies in trauma healing and personal growth
• How skiing and outdoor challenges helped Julie process grief, betrayal, and depression
• The power of sharing your story to help others feel seen
• Practical ideas about self-talk, goal setting, and connecting with nature
• How experiences of hardship can make us more sensitive and impactful in our relationships
• Julie’s work bringing students into the mountains, and the ripple effect of small gestures of kindness

Julie’s story is also featured in the film Queen of the Catskills and is part of the Girl Winter Film Tour.

Learn more:

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

In this energizing episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara Land sits down with coffee scientist and author Shawn Steiman to explore the surprising intersections between coffee, culture, and mental health. From morning routines to religious rituals, coffee has long been more than a beverage—it’s a way of connecting, bonding, and even healing. Together, they unpack the pros and cons of caffeine, including its impact on memory, mood, and even cholesterol.

Shawn also pulls back the curtain on the ethics of coffee: Does fair trade really work? Should you prioritize organic? And which regions produce the best beans? Along the way, listeners get a mini masterclass in how to think critically about coffee research, plus insights on brewing methods, cultural traditions, and why taste itself can be a benefit. Whether you’re a casual sipper or a true coffee devotee, this episode will deepen your appreciation of your daily cup.

Shawn Steiman, Ph.D, is a coffee scientist, consultant, and entrepreneur. His coffee research has included coffee production, pest management, ecology, physiology, biochemistry, organoleptic quality, and brewing. He owns Coffea Consulting, a coffee-centric consulting firm, and Grok Coffee, a coffee delivery, event, and education company. He was also a co-founder of Daylight Mind Coffee Company. He has authored numerous articles in scientific journals, trade magazines, newsletters, and newspapers. He is the author of The Hawai‘i Coffee Book: A Gourmet's Guide from Kona to Kaua‘i, The Little Coffee Know-It-All: A Miscellany for Growing, Roasting, and Brewing, Uncompromising and Unapologetic, and is a co-editor and author of Coffee- A Comprehensive Guide to the Bean, the Beverage, and the Industry.

grokcoffee.net, coffeaconsulting.com, @grokkingcoffee (IG/FB), https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnsteiman/.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

In this rich and compassionate conversation, Dr. Mercedes Okosi shares her clinical insights on healing complex trauma—what works, when, and why. We explore her go-to modalities like Prolonged Exposure and Narrative Therapy, and why using the present tense and senses is so powerful when revisiting painful memories. Mercedes breaks down the counterintuitive truth about avoidance, how to prevent emotional flooding, and grounding tools she uses to help clients stay present. We also dive deep into group therapy—how it works, who it helps, and what makes it transformative. Mercedes shares how she builds trust in groups, even for hesitant or shy clients, and why witnessing others’ healing journeys can be profoundly motivating.

With nuance and cultural awareness, she discusses working with immigrants and first-generation clients—addressing multigenerational trauma, value conflicts, and the layered process of acculturation. Plus: the two sides of resilience, the clinician's role in advocacy (and burnout), and why finding authentic community is essential to healing.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone navigating trauma, considering group therapy, or working at the intersection of mental health and identity. Website/Instagram

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

What causes estrangement between parents and adult children—and is reconciliation truly possible? In this powerful and nuanced conversation, psychologist and author Dr. Joshua Coleman unpacks the changing landscape of the modern family. We explore how cultural shifts and even well-meaning therapy can unintentionally contribute to family cutoffs, and what parents can do—now—to prevent or repair disconnection.

Dr. Coleman shares:

*The most common (and often surprising) reasons adult children walk away

*What the research actually says about parenting—and why the answer isn’t “gentle” parenting

*How estrangement ripples through generations

*What to say—and not say—in an amends letter

*Why reconciliation is a phase, not a moment

*How to move forward even if your child chooses not to

He also opens up about his own estrangement and reconciliation with his daughter, offering a deeply human look at what repair really takes. This episode isn’t about being perfect. It’s about what happens after the hurt—when you’re ready to listen, take accountability, and rebuild. Whether you’re a parent hoping for reconnection or someone trying to understand the roots of family rupture, this conversation will stay with you.

Dr. Coleman is a psychologist in private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and a Senior Fellow with the Council on Contemporary Families, a non-partisan organization of leading sociologists, historians, psychologists, and demographers dedicated to providing the press and public with the latest research and best practice findings about American families. Website/Instagram

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

In this episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara Land sits down with psychotherapist Carly Ann to unpack practical, compassionate strategies from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) that help us shift negative thought patterns and calm anxious minds. From spirals of self-doubt and perfectionism to managing unmet needs and breaking free from judgment, this conversation is full of real-life tools you can start using today.

Whether you're struggling with anxiety, depression, or simply want more peace in your day, this episode will help you understand how your thoughts shape your feelings—and your behaviors. Carly shares her framework for working with common automatic thoughts like “I’m not good enough” or “I should be doing more,” and offers insights on how to respond with self-awareness instead of reactivity.

We explore:

• How to stop feeding unhelpful thoughts—even if you can't stop having them
• When affirmations help and when they actually backfire
• Why the first 30 minutes of your day matter more than you think
• How to recognize if your requests of others are truly “reasonable”
• CBT approaches for clinicians working with depressive clients
• How to interrupt thought-feeling-behavior loops and find more ease

Plus: our mutual love of Eat That Frog by Brian Tracy, and how we use it to beat procrastination and reset our mindset.

If you've ever asked yourself, "Why do I keep thinking like this?" or "How can I stop getting stuck in my head?"—this is the episode for you.

Follow Carly Ann on Instagram for more tips!

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik

In this heartfelt episode of Beyond Trauma, Lara Land welcomes renowned sex therapist Wendy Maltz to explore how couples can reconnect and reclaim their bond—especially after stress, trauma, or disconnection. Wendy offers compassionate insights and trauma-informed practices that help deepen connection, improve communication, and heal sexual wounds.

Whether you're partnered or on a journey of personal healing, this conversation is for anyone looking to build a more conscious and connected relationship—with themselves or with someone they love.

Learn how to:

• Navigate common stressors that quietly erode intimacy
• Talk about sex in ways that foster safety, clarity, and desire
• Create a shared “sex mission statement” with your partner
• Balance emotional closeness with autonomy in long-term relationships

Wendy also unpacks why foreplay starts long before the bedroom—and how the smallest shifts in how we greet, part, and show up for each other during the day can dramatically shift the energy between us. Plus, we explore the role of creativity in healing trauma, the myth of media-driven sexuality, and why reclaiming agency in sex is one of the most empowering things a survivor can do.

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Wendy Maltz, LCSW, DST, is an internationally recognized sex therapist, author, and speaker, with more than thirty-five years of experience treating sex and intimacy concerns. She authored many highly acclaimed sexuality books, including the recovery classic, The Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse, as well as Private Thoughts: Exploring the Power of Women’s Sexual Fantasies, and The Porn Trap: The Essential Guide to Overcoming Problems Caused by Pornography. Wendy’s popular educational website, www.HealthySex.com, provides free articles, videos, and other resources to help people overcome sexual problems and develop skills for love-based sexual intimacy.

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Intro & Outro Music by Daniel Zaitchik