The Clinical Moment

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Podcast by Amy Davis and Casey Baker

The Clinical Moment

Stories of Practice, People, and Purpose Across Iowa The Clinical Moment is a podcast from LSI that highlights the people behind the work of mental health care across Iowa. With more than forty clinicians serving communities statewide, LSI is committed to providing compassionate, ethical, and meaningful care both in and out of the therapy room. Each episode features conversations with LSI clinicians about their professional practice, their paths into the field, and the values that guide their work. These discussions explore what it means to show up as a clinician and as a human, offering insight into the realities of mental health work while celebrating the impact clinicians have in their communities. Through sharing these stories, The Clinical Moment aims to expand the reach of LSI’s clinical work, highlight the depth and diversity of services offered across Iowa, and help reduce stigma around mental health by making these conversations more visible, relatable, and human.

Latest episodes

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28 January 2026

Small Choices, Meaningful Lives: Habits Beyond Productivity

In this episode of The Clinical Moment, the hosts are joined by Joe (LSI therapist, Des Moines) for a grounded, values-centered conversation about habits and self-care. Rather than framing habits as “fixing yourself” or becoming more productive, the discussion reframes habits as signals of what we’re valuing, avoiding, coping with, or moving toward. Joe shares how his existential, person-centered approach emphasizes meaning-making, identity, authenticity, and learning to sit with discomfort (instead of only trying to “cope it away”). Together, they explore how habits can support change when they’re rooted in values and identity, how language shapes commitment (“I’m trying” vs. “I am”), and how small shifts can compound over time, especially when approached with curiosity and grace rather than judgment.

Resources Mentioned in the Episode

Books & Authors

  • Atomic Habits — James Clear
  • How Not to Speak of God — Peter Rollins
  • The Case for God — Karen Armstrong
  • Hour of the Heart — Irvin Yalom
  • A Year with Thomas Merton — Thomas Merton
  • The Existentialist Survival Guide — Gordon Marino
  • Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor Frankl

Concepts & Approaches

  • Values clarification / values card sort (narrowing down values and creating a personal values statement)
  • Identity-based habit change (language + identity shift)
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) (acceptance + values-based action)
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) (dialectics; coping strategies; “urge surfing” referenced)
  • Solution-Focused “Magic Wand” question (imagining desired change)
  • Time audit / screen-time review (where time goes vs. where you want it to go)

Practical Tools Discussed

  • 5–4–3–2–1 grounding: 5 things you see, 4 feel, 3 hear, 2 smell, 1 taste
  • Texture grounding: noticing tactile sensations (clothing, chair, objects)
  • “Go touch grass”: literal reconnection with the present moment outdoors
  • Sour candy grounding: lemon drops / sour candies as a quick sensory reset
  • Accountability supports: trusted people, mentorship, community support (12-step mentioned as one example—acknowledging it isn’t for everyone)

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15 January 2026

The Clinical Moment

In the first episode of The Clinical Moment, co-hosts Amy Davis and Casey Baker introduce the purpose of the podcast and what listeners can expect. They share their commitment to authentic conversations, reducing stigma, and highlighting the real people behind mental health care at Lutheran Services in Iowa. This episode sets the foundation for future discussions centered on connection, clinical practice, and meaningful growth

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