In this fifth installment of the Empathy Series, Piper Harris turns the focus inward to the counseling profession itself. Our field has long celebrated empathy as its highest virtue, but what happens when feeling becomes the only tool in the box?
Through clinical insight, CBT framing, and a touch of Shel Silverstein’s wit, Piper explores how the industry keeps “eating soup with chopsticks”, recycling emotional tools that look noble but leave both clients and clinicians hungry.
She traces the historical swing from William James’s pragmatic psychology to Carl Rogers’s humanistic empathy, showing how good intentions evolved into burnout culture. You’ll hear how unmanaged empathy activates the brain’s threat system, why depletion is not proof of devotion, and how ethical, data-driven compassion offers a sustainable path forward.
The Industry Mirror challenges counselors and anyone devoted to helping others. to trade performance for precision, sentiment for structure, and to finally pick up the spoon.
In this pivotal fourth episode of the Empathy Series, Piper Harris takes the conversation beyond emotion into the arena of moral reasoning. From Empathy to Ethics challenges the assumption that feeling deeply is the same as being good and asks what happens when conviction outruns discernment.
Through clinical insight, philosophy, and faith, Piper examines how empathy must mature into disciplined ethics, the capacity to act rightly even when it’s uncomfortable. She exposes how moral reasoning forces tension, demands humility, and calls every clinician to test their own biases.
This episode explores:
Why many therapists conflate passion with ethics—and how bias hides behind conviction.
Real moral-reasoning dilemmas that reveal the clash between empathy and discernment.
The neuroscience of ethical decision-making and the “moral muscles” that strengthen integrity.
How faith and philosophy converge: Marcus Aurelius, Gandhi, C.S. Lewis, and Scripture all urging us to test everything; hold fast to what is good.
From Empathy to Ethics : Reclaiming Discernment invites listeners to replace emotional certainty with moral clarity, to choose truth over comfort, and to rebuild integrity where empathy once ruled alone.
#untangledmindllc #ethics #empathy #integrativecbt
What does it really mean to be seen?
In this episode, Piper Harris explores the tension between recognition and transformation, what the Greeks called anagnorisis and epignosis. Drawing from her love of studying Greek and Hebrew (and the words she’s literally tattooed on her body at pivotal points of change), Piper shares how understanding these concepts can reshape the way we think about therapy, faith, and personal growth.
Through stories from her own life and insights from her Untangled Mind Pathway, she unpacks how we uncover the D.I.B., the Deepest Irrational Belief, that quietly shapes our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.
As she says, “Transformation doesn’t have an endpoint. It’s a way of life. It begins, always, with the courage to be seen.”
Stay until the end for her announcement about Transformation Week, a lighthearted, meaningful Halloween tradition for clients to celebrate what they’re becoming.
Want to learn more about being Seen? Read below:
https://www.untangledmind.net/post/_seen
#untangledmindllc #UMPodcast #anxiety #trauma #faith #Greek #exposed #therapy #deepestirrationalbelief #dansiegel
In Episode 3 of the Empathy Series, I move beyond the emotional and physiological effects of empathy to examine its cognitive distortions, the ways empathy can quietly reshape how we think, reason, and define morality.
Empathy feels virtuous, but when it becomes a cognitive reflex, it can lead to emotional reasoning, bias, and identity fusion. In this episode, I unpack how empathy functions like a mental shortcut, a heuristic that tells us we’re “good” simply because we feel, while quietly eroding discernment, accountability, and boundaries.
Drawing from neuroscience, CBT, and social psychology, I explore:
*How empathy activates cognitive distortions such as personalization and catastrophizing.
*The role of the prefrontal cortex in regulating emotional reasoning.
*Why over-identifying with others’ suffering reinforces ego and moral confusion.
*What to do when you find yourself trapped in someone else’s cognitive loop.
*How to climb the empathy ladder toward compassion and clear thinking.
Empathy as a Cognitive Trap challenges the assumption that feeling deeply is always virtuous and invites listeners to move from reflexive empathy to disciplined compassion, where emotion and reason finally work together.
#untangledmindllc #empathy #empathyseries #UMpodcast
www.untangledmind.net
In this episode of the Untangled Mind Podcast, Piper Harris unpacks Carl Jung’s famous quote: “The best political, social, and spiritual work we can do is to withdraw the projection of our shadow onto others.”
Drawing from a recent dialogue on LinkedIn, Piper explores how projection shows up in the therapy profession itself through defensiveness, appeals to authority, and circular reasoning that protect therapists but fail clients.
The conversation examines why modern therapy has drifted toward validation over transformation, how this drift leaves clients turning to AI for answers, and why the profession must confront its own shadow if it wants to remain relevant.
This is a call to action for therapists to stop projecting, start owning their blind spots, and return to the real work of psychotherapy: lasting change.
#untangledmindllc www.untangledmind.net
This is Episode 2 in my Empathy Series. In this conversation, I explore what happens when empathy doesn’t just drain us emotionally, but actually hurts the brain and body.
We’ll look at what neuroscience reveals about empathic distress: the way empathy lights up pain circuits, activates the stress response, and, when left unchanneled, leads to burnout and exhaustion. I unpack why the phrase “compassion fatigue” is misleading, and how what many in counseling, medicine, and caregiving actually experience is empathic distress fatigue.
I also examine how our fields too often wear this exhaustion as a badge of honor, and the severe consequences of staying stuck in empathy-only modes, including dissociation and even group-level hysteria.
Most importantly, this episode offers a way forward: moving from empathy to sympathy, and ultimately into compassion—the place where resilience and real change live.
#untangledmindllc #empathy #trauma #anxiety #compassionfatigue
This is Episode 1 in my new Empathy Series. In this opening conversation, I explore what I call the empathy trap: how unchanneled empathy can paralyze us, reinforce hidden payoffs, and keep both clients and clinicians stuck.We’ll look at where the concept of empathy came from, why it’s been elevated as the highest virtue in therapy and culture, and how it differs from sympathy and compassion. I share composite client stories that reveal how empathy often serves unseen purposes, like giving us identity, attention, or a sense of purpose, while holding us back from real growth.If you’ve ever wondered why “just feeling” doesn’t bring change, this episode will challenge you to climb the ladder: from empathy, to sympathy, and ultimately to compassion.#untangledmindllc #traumatherapist #anxietycounseling #umpodcast #empathy #compassion #carlrogers #psychology #empathytrap
Too many choices don’t just overwhelm us; they expose hidden patterns that keep us stuck. In this episode, Piper Harris explores the darker side of choice: how blame, ego protection, and even subtle manipulation distort our decision-making. Learn how to spot these biases in yourself, what to do when others use them against you, and practical steps to reclaim clarity and agency. If you’ve ever felt paralyzed by “what ifs” or drained by someone else’s avoidance, this episode will give you tools to break free and move forward.
Read more:
https://www.untangledmind.net/post/the-tyranny-of-choice
#untangledmindllc
Every relationship is like a ship. Some sail smoothly, while others drift aimlessly or sink under pressure. What makes the difference isn’t luck, it’s whether the ship is built and steered with care.
In this episode of the Untangled Mind Podcast, Piper Harris unpacks three essentials that keep relationships seaworthy: standards, boundaries, and expectations. Through stories from her practice and personal experience, Piper reveals why:
Standards are the hull — the values and integrity that keep the ship intact
Boundaries are the sails — the limits that protect energy and direction
Expectations are the navigation — the agreements that prevent drift and collision
You’ll also learn the warning signs your ship is sinking, why assumptions are so destructive, and how unspoken beliefs from trauma can sabotage even the healthiest relationships.
If your relationships feel adrift or exhausting, this episode offers clarity, structure, and a way forward.
#untangledmindllc
Taste and smell aren’t just about enjoying a good meal; they’re powerful gateways into memory, emotion, and even identity. In this episode of the Untangled Mind podcast, cognitive behavioral therapist Piper Harris explores the science behind how these senses work and why they can transport us instantly to moments from our past.Drawing from neuroscience, psychology, and timeless stories like M.F.K. Fisher’s Borderland, Piper shares the ten most powerful ways taste and smell affect the brain, from boosting mood to triggering vivid memories, and even shaping our cultural identity.Whether it’s the scent of bread baking or the taste of a fruit from your childhood, you’ll learn why your brain holds onto these sensory experiences so tightly and how they can both comfort and surprise you.#untangledmindllc
What do a silly online quiz, a 17th-century philosopher, and a neuroscience book have in common? They all helped me articulate what’s been true about my therapy approach all along. In this episode, I explore how Rationalism, Idealism, Existentialism, and Pragmatism influence the way I work with clients — and why I reject the outdated split between mind and body. We’ll dig into Descartes’ Error, The Master and His Emissary, and what it really means to treat the whole human being. If you’ve ever felt stuck in therapy that overexplained or underdelivered, this one’s for you.
In today’s episode, we’re talking to anyone who’s ever been told they’re too much, too intense, too emotional, too complicated. The truth? You’re not too much. You’ve just been in the wrong room.
This episode walks you through 6 practical tools to help you stop shrinking, challenge distorted thoughts, and start placing yourself in spaces that honor your insight, emotion, and depth.
What you’ll learn:
How to recognize misaligned environments
Why emotional reasoning distorts self-worth
What healthy therapeutic spaces should feel like
How to stop internalizing rejection as truth
For structured therapy built on clarity, strategy, and outcomes, visit:
https://www.untangledmind.net
What does a shopping cart have to do with therapy, parenting, or personal growth? More than you think.
In this episode, I unpack a simple moment in a home goods parking lot that revealed a deeper truth about motivation, responsibility, and why I don’t work with kids. From passive parenting to adults stuck in perceived martyrdom, we’ll look at what’s really holding people back from change—and how the smallest choices reflect the biggest mindsets.
If you’ve ever wondered why therapy isn’t working, or why your teen seems unmotivated, this episode pulls no punches.
Read more in the blog:
All I Need to Know If We Could Work Together Comes Down to a Shopping Cart
https://www.untangledmind.net/post/all-i-need-to-know-if-we-could-work-together-comes-down-to-a-shopping-cart
#untangledmindllc #cbttherapist #traumatherapist #anxietycounseling #griefrecovery
In this episode of the Untangled Mind Podcast, Piper Harris pulls back the curtain on therapy fees—and the deeper question we should be asking: What are you actually paying for?
If you’ve ever wondered why good therapy costs more—or felt unsure about investing in yourself—this episode breaks it down. From calling out passive therapy models to exposing the hidden work that goes into real, structured care, Piper doesn’t hold back.
You’ll hear:
Why therapists can’t demand medical recognition without medical standards
What a therapy fee actually covers beyond the 50-minute session
The limits of “just talking” in therapy
What makes Piper’s approach different (and unapologetically results-focused)
Why therapy is one of the most important investments you’ll ever make
Whether you’re in therapy now or still on the fence, this episode will help you reframe what healing requires—and what it’s worth.
Learn more or work with Piper at: https://www.untangledmind.net
Explore the Untangled Mind workbooks (on sale now): https://www.untangledmind.net/untangling-mind-series
Breaking the myths around masculinity, PTSD, and therapy that actually works.
In this episode of the Untangled Mind Podcast, Piper Harris, trauma and anxiety expert, takes a direct look at the mental health crisis men are facing—especially when it comes to PTSD.
Too many men are told to “man up,” push through, or stay silent. But that silence is breaking them from the inside out.
Piper shares 7 hard truths every man (and those who love them) need to hear—truths about trauma, emotional shut-down, risky coping behaviors, and why therapy often fails men unless it’s done differently.
This is not a soft talk. It’s a grounded, compassionate, no-fluff conversation about what real strength looks like—and how to finally move forward.
Whether you're ready to start therapy, looking for real answers, or just beginning to question what you've been taught about masculinity and mental health, this episode is a must-listen.
You’re high-functioning, mentally maxed out, and craving clarity. In this episode, I break down why working with a therapist-trained coach gives you the structure, strategy, and insight you won’t find in typical coaching models—and how that can change everything.
In this episode, Piper Harris, data-driven therapist specializing in Third Wave CBT, neuropsychotherapy, and EMDR, explores the quiet but transformative power of attunement.
You’ll learn what attunement really is—and isn’t—why it’s vital for healing trauma, and how small moments of presence can regulate the nervous system in ways words alone never could. Piper shares personal stories, real-world examples, and a guided visualization to help you reconnect with your own sense of safety and connection.
Whether you have a history of complex trauma, struggle with feeling unseen, or simply want to build deeper, more authentic relationships, this episode offers an invitation to heal through presence, not performance.
#untangledmindllc#cbttherapist#neuropsychotherapy#traumainformedcare#emdrtherapy#attachmenthealing#mentalhealthpodcast#healingthroughconnection#nervoussystemhealing
Untangling the Truth: Feigning in Therapy & Why It Matters
Welcome to The Untangled Mind Podcast! In this episode, I’m tackling a topic that most therapists avoid—feigning in therapy. What happens when clients exaggerate or even fabricate symptoms, whether consciously or unconsciously? And why do so many in the industry refuse to address this?
As a data-driven therapist specializing in anxiety, trauma, and grief, I believe therapy should challenge distorted beliefs, not just affirm distress. In this episode, I break down:
🔹 What feigning in therapy looks like—malingering, factitious disorders, and unconscious symptom exaggeration
🔹 The impact of unchecked validation vs. actual therapeutic growth
🔹 Why some clients receive confrontation well while others blame and attack
🔹 The role of diagnostic tools—how they should inform treatment, not pathologize
🔹 Why therapists need to stop fearing client reactions and stand firm in ethical practice
🚨 Therapists – Are you avoiding these hard conversations because of how clients might react?
🚨 Clients – Are you using therapy as a tool for change, or a shield from discomfort?
True healing requires accountability, not just affirmation. Let’s cut through the mental clutter and get real about what therapy should be.
🔗 Read the full blog post: Feigning in Therapy: The Unspoken Challenge
👍 Like, Subscribe, & Share if you found this episode valuable.
🗨 Drop a comment – What are your thoughts on feigning in therapy? Should therapists challenge clients more?
📍 Follow me for more insights:
🌐 Website: www.untangledmind.net
📷 Instagram: @untangledmindllc
📘 Facebook: @untangledmindllc
💼 LinkedIn: @utangledmindllc
#FeigningInTherapy #TherapistTalks #CBTPodcast #UntangledMind #MentalHealthMyths #CognitiveBehavioralTherapy #NoNonsenseTherapy #TraumaTherapy #untangledmindllc
In this episode of the Untangled Mind Podcast, Piper Harris, a data-driven mental health therapist specializing in anxiety, trauma, and grief, shares the transformative power of self-advocacy. Drawing from personal experience and expertise in Third Wave CBT and neuropsychology, Piper introduces the ADVOCATE Framework—a step-by-step guide to help you untangle your mind, take purposeful action, and reclaim control over your life.
Learn how to identify your needs, break free from self-doubt, and create meaningful change. If you’re ready to stop giving up and start advocating for yourself, this episode is for you.
Visit untangledmind.net/advocate-framework for more resources and support.
#untangledmindllc #cbttherapist #anxietycounselor #griefsupport #traumatherapist #mentalhealthhelp
In this special collaborative episode, Piper Harris of Untangled Mind and Dr. Susan Belangee of Dynamic Growth Counseling and Consulting Services come together for our annual reflection. We’re diving deep into the ups, downs, and lessons from 2024, discussing who’s sitting at our table and how you can intentionally choose the people and influences in your life for the year ahead.
This episode isn’t just about reflection—it’s about action. We’ll share insights on building meaningful connections, setting boundaries, and creating an environment that fosters growth, both personally and professionally.
The Dynamic Mind Podcast is a collaboration between Untangled Mind, providing expert CBT counseling for anxiety, trauma, and grief, and Dynamic Growth Counseling and Consulting Services, offering strategic consulting for individuals and organizations. Together, we’re dedicated to helping you thrive.
Tune in to this powerful episode, visit dynamicmindllc.com to learn more, and don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to stay updated on our latest episodes.
#untangledmindllc #dynamicgrowthccs #dynamicmindllc #psychology #counseling #trauma #orgconsulting #betrayal #resilience #newyear2025
