To become a client, visit me at catiaholm.com or leave an anonymous question for the show by calling or texting 956-249-7930.

Movement isn't just for physical health—it's powerful medicine for our mental wellbeing too. Science shows that just 30 minutes of moderate movement 3-5 times weekly can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by releasing mood-enhancing brain chemicals.

• Movement helps regulate the nervous system and process trauma stored in the body
• Trauma becomes stored as "implicit memories" when we lack language to process experiences
• Movement allows processing of emotions without needing conscious awareness of their origins
• Shifting from self-control to self-compassion transforms our relationship with movement
• Different types of healing movement include mindful movement (yoga, tai chi), creative movement, grounding movement, rhythmic movement, and social movement
• Each type of movement taps into different parts of our nervous system, helping regulate mood
• Movement doesn't have to be grueling—it can be gentle, playful, and joyful
• Our relationship with movement often needs updating as we age and our needs change

Call the anonymous question line at 956-249-7930 or visit catiaholm.com to connect. If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review to help others find this community of care.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

To become a client, visit me at cathiaholm.com or leave an anonymous question for the show by calling or texting 956-249-7930.

Mental wellness requires an anchor deeper than our fleeting emotions, and living by our values provides the stability we need to navigate life's challenges with integrity and purpose.

• Values are steady qualities we want to embody, while feelings are temporary messages from our body and brain
• Research shows people who live aligned with their values report higher life satisfaction, lower anxiety, and greater resilience
• The affect heuristic makes us decide based on momentary feelings, but psychological flexibility allows us to pause and choose our response
• Asking "what would my wisest self do here?" helps bridge the gap between emotional reactions and value-aligned choices
• Small steps like visual reminders, pre-planning for difficult situations, and self-compassion after mistakes help integrate values into daily life
• Treating emotions like rainwater that needs to flow through you prevents them from becoming stagnant and problematic
• Living from values creates a strong foundation that helps you respond thoughtfully rather than react chaotically to life's challenges

If Couch Time with Cat has been meaningful to you, please subscribe, rate and leave a review. It helps others find us and grows this community of care.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

To connect with Catia and become a client, visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Scott James shares his journey from writing poems out of desperation to creating over 10,000 typewriter poems on demand, revealing how creativity became his path to healing and presence. Through his practice of instant poetry, Scott discovered how to transform resistance into flow, establish energetic boundaries, and create meaningful connections with strangers through art.

• Started writing poetry during a personal crisis after moving to Austin and settling into marriage
• Set a goal to write 1,000 poems in a year, which evolved from a task into a healing practice
• Discovered the power of co-creation by asking others for poem ideas rather than working in isolation
• Brought his 1947 Smith Corona typewriter to events and began writing poems on demand for strangers
• Developed specific creative rituals and "energetic hygiene" practices to prepare for poetry sessions
• Found that writing poems for others created a flow state that felt like connecting to something beyond himself
• Learned to "leapfrog resistance" by using his ego and pride as motivational tools
• Established the typewriter as a "creative campfire" where both poet and recipient contribute
• Witnessed profound emotional responses from people receiving personalized poems
--

Show Guest:

Scott James is an acclaimed typewriter poet and the VP of Author Strategies at Pioneering Collective, a thought leadership accelerator based in New York City. As a poet, has written over 10,000 poems on-demand, published two best selling books, and had his work featured widely by tastemakers like Magnolia and Tim Ferriss. As an author strategist, he has helped hundreds of authors publish their own books, with many of them becoming best sellers and driving millions of dollars in new business. He loves the work of helping people get their ideas onto the page and out into the world. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, daughter, and their goofy pug.

You can connect with Scott here:

https://www.instagram.com/scottandrewjames

https://scottandrewjames.com/

https://www.pioneeringcollective.com/

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

To connect with Catia and become a client, visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Katie Taylor, Certified Child Life Specialist, shares strategies for talking to children about medical procedures in ways that reduce anxiety and build trust.

• Children pick up on our non-verbal cues during difficult times and may imagine scenarios worse than reality
• Research shows children who receive preparation before medical procedures exhibit less anxiety and recover faster
• Using concrete, age-appropriate language helps children understand medical situations (like "sleepy medicine" for anesthesia)
• Different approaches work for different ages - 4-year-olds need sequence-based explanations while 10-year-olds benefit from more involvement
• Children process difficult news in their own ways and on their own timeline
• Parents don't need perfect words - the message of love and togetherness matters most
• Multiple small conversations often work better than one overwhelming discussion
• Start by asking about previous medical experiences to gauge understanding and misconceptions

Show Guest

Katie Taylor, CCLS, CEO & Founder, Child Life On Call

Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform revolutionizing pediatric healthcare by putting parents at the center of the medical journey. With over 15 years of experience as a certified child life specialist, Katie has made significant contributions to the field of child life and the families she’s served with over a decade of working at the bedside. She is an accomplished author, engaging child life and entrepreneurship speaker, and the Child Life On Call Podcast host. Katie's work emphasizes the vital role of child life services in supporting caregivers and enhancing children's medical journeys through empowering parents.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

To connect with Catia and become a client, visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Katie Taylor opens our eyes to the transformative role of child life specialists - healthcare professionals who use play, preparation, and child-friendly language to turn potentially traumatic medical experiences into manageable, even empowering ones for children and families.

With over 15 years of experience as a certified child life specialist and as CEO of Child Life On Call, Katie shares how these professionals serve as essential bridges between medical teams and families. From describing IVs as "tiny Barbie straws" to creating playful preparation for anesthesia, these specialists translate complex medical experiences into language children can understand.

Whether you're a parent preparing a child for a medical procedure or someone interested in how healthcare can become more nuanced, this conversation will forever change how you think about supporting children through medical experiences.

--

Show Guest

Katie Taylor, CCLS, CEO & Founder, Child Life On Call

Katie Taylor is the co-founder and CEO of Child Life On Call, a digital platform revolutionizing pediatric healthcare by putting parents at the center of the medical journey. With over 15 years of experience as a certified child life specialist, Katie has made significant contributions to the field of child life and the families she’s served with over a decade of working at the bedside. She is an accomplished author, engaging child life and entrepreneurship speaker, and the Child Life On Call Podcast host. Katie's work emphasizes the vital role of child life services in supporting caregivers and enhancing children's medical journeys through empowering parents.

Connect with Katie here:

• SupportSpot App iOS & Android App
• Child Life On Call Podcast
• Child Life Circle - Community for Child Life Specialists
• Instagram.com/childlifeoncall
• Facebook.com/childlifeoncall

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

To connect with Catia and become a client, visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Have you ever wondered why you keep repeating the same patterns, even when they no longer serve you? This eye-opening conversation with Jessica Cherry – sound bath practitioner, NLP coach, and TV host – reveals how our minds create patterns that shape our entire lives, and how we can change them.

Jessica explains neuro-linguistic programming as "a manual for your mind," offering a powerful framework for examining the thoughts and language patterns that keep us stuck. Through vivid metaphors – like emptying your purse to see what you're unnecessarily carrying – she demonstrates how we can objectively look at our limiting beliefs and decide what deserves space in our mental landscape.

The most compelling moments come when Jessica shares real transformation stories, including a client who experienced "space in her chest" for the first time after a Hawaiian forgiveness practice called Ho'oponopono. This physical manifestation of emotional release led to an urge to clean under her bed – a beautiful example of how internal shifts create external changes.

For anyone feeling stuck in patterns of anxiety, limiting beliefs, or emotional cycles, this conversation offers practical insight into how our brains work and how remarkably plastic they remain throughout our lives. Jessica reminds us that after 35, we typically operate on autopilot unless we deliberately choose different patterns – a wake-up call for anyone feeling too old to change or grow.

--

Jessica Cherry is an award-winning entrepreneur, empowerment coach, TV host, and community leader in Central Texas. As founding Community Director of LLN Hays County, she produces monthly networking and empowerment events spotlighting women-owned businesses. Host of She Will Empower on The CW Austin’s Connect Network TV and a Certified NLP Practitioner, she helps women release trauma, burnout, and self-doubt to create confident, purposeful lives.

She is a multi-award recipient, including Blogger of the Year twice for Austin Business Woman, a Community Contributor Award recipient for Austin Business Woman and runner-up for Best Online Personality in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin 2024.

You can connect with her at: Lone Star Sound Baths and Life of a Cherry Wife

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

To connect with Catia and become a client, visit- catiaholm.com

Connect on Instagram, Facebook, and to leave an anonymous question for Catia call or text 956-249-7930

--

Jessica Cherry shares her journey from experiencing debilitating anxiety to becoming a certified sound bath practitioner and sound alchemist who helps others find peace through immersive sound experiences.

• Discovered sound baths during a period of intense stress while dealing with family loss and serving as power of attorney
• Experienced immediate relief after her first sound bath, describing it as "a weight off her shoulders"
• Purchased a complete set of Tibetan bowls and pursued formal certification to deepen her understanding
• Combines her musical background with healing practices to create harmonious, melodic experiences
• Uses various instruments including Tibetan bowls, quartz bowls, harps, gongs, chimes, and Native American flutes
• Leads participants through a guided meditation before and after approximately 50 minutes of immersive sound
• Respects individual autonomy, allowing participants to receive the experience in whatever way serves them best
• Views her role not as a healer but as a facilitator creating space for people to reset their nervous systems
• Describes the benefits as mental clarity, emotional release, and deep relaxation

--

Show Guest:

Jessica Cherry is an award-winning entrepreneur, empowerment coach, TV host, and community leader in Central Texas. As founding Community Director of Ladies Lifestyle Network Hays County, she produces monthly networking and empowerment events spotlighting women-owned businesses. Host of She Will Empower on The CW Austin’s Connect Network TV and a Certified NLP Practitioner, she helps women release trauma, burnout, and self-doubt to create confident, purposeful lives. Jessica also owns Lone Star Sound Baths, providing sound bath sessions and runs the motherhood and lifestyle blog, Life of a Cherry Wife.

She is a multi-award recipient, including Blogger of the Year twice for Austin Business Woman, a Community Contributor Award recipient for Austin Business Woman and runner-up for Best Online Personality in the Austin Chronicle’s Best of Austin 2024.

You can connect with her at: Lone Star Sound Baths and Life of a Cherry Wife
--

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com

We explore the art and science of self-soothing when everything feels like too much, building what I call an emotional first aid kit for life's overwhelming moments.

• Emotional regulation is your brain's ability to navigate stress without chaos—a dance between the amygdala and prefrontal cortex
• When overwhelmed, our prefrontal cortex goes offline, triggering fight, flight, freeze, or fawn responses
• Poor emotional regulation links to higher rates of anxiety, depression, substance use, and chronic illness
• Many of us grew up without learning emotional literacy—told to "toughen up" instead of process feelings
• The 5-4-3-2-1 technique engages all five senses to ground you in the present moment
• Labeling emotions ("I feel anxious") reduces their intensity by activating regulation centers in the brain
• Self-compassionate talk like "This is hard, but I'm not abandoning myself" creates internal safety
• Sensory comfort (soft textures, nature, movement) helps emotions move through rather than get stuck
• Creating a daily practice through comfort corners, feelings journals, or mantras rewires neural pathways
• Emotional regulation isn't about perfection—it's about learning to stay with yourself through difficult feelings

If something in today's episode resonated, I'd love to hear what's in your emotional first aid kit. Message me or join the conversation on Couch Time with Cat on Instagram.

Support the show

Couch Time with Cat isn’t therapy—it’s real conversation designed to support your journey alongside any personal or professional help you're receiving. If you're in emotional crisis or need immediate support, please get in touch with a professional or reach out to a 24/7 helpline like:

• US: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• UK: Samaritans at 116 123
• Australia: Lifeline at 13 11 14
• Or find local resources through findahelpline.com

You’re not alone. Let’s take this one honest conversation at a time.

Follow the show and share it with someone who’s ready for healing, hope, and a more empowered way forward.

Show hosted by:

Catia Hernandez Holm, LMFT-A

Supervised by Susan Gonzales, LMFT-S, LPC-S

You can connect with Catia at couchtimewithcat.com

and

To become a client visit- catiaholm.com