
Podcast by Amy Davis and Casey Baker

Podcast by Amy Davis and Casey Baker

27 March 2026
Boundaries are one of the most common,and most challenging, topics that come up in therapy. In this episode of The Clinical Moment, Casey Baker and Amy Davis sit down with LSI therapist Emily to explore what boundaries really are, why they matter, and why they can feel so difficult to set.
Emily shares her clinical perspective on boundaries through a cognitive behavioral lens, while also discussing practical strategies clients can use in everyday life. From understanding the difference between requests and boundaries to navigating discomfort, pushback, and feelings of guilt, this conversation offers meaningful and approachable tools for personal growth.
You’ll also hear Emily introduce the Stoplight Method ,a simple yet powerful framework to help identify when boundaries may be needed and how to implement them effectively.
In this episode, we discuss:
• Why boundaries are not requests
• Why setting boundaries can feel uncomfortable or selfish
• How to respond when others push back
• The Stoplight Method for identifying boundary needs
• Using CBT strategies to challenge irrational thoughts
• How boundaries improve relationships and reduce anxiety
Whether you're navigating relationships, work dynamics, or personal growth, this episode offers practical guidance and encouragement for building healthier boundaries.
00:00
50:28

13 March 2026
In this episode of The Clinical Moment, hosts Amy Davis and Casey Baker welcome Dhavy Patel, a temporary licensed mental health counselor at LSI, to discuss the complexities of trauma and its impact on both clients and clinicians. Dhavy shares insights from his recent presentation on compassion fatigue and introduces the use of poetry therapy as a powerful tool for reflection and healing among helping professionals.
The conversation explores common misconceptions about trauma, the ways trauma can manifest in the body and mind, and why responses to traumatic experiences vary widely across individuals. Dhavy discusses practical clinical approaches including somatic awareness, trauma timelines, and person-centered engagement to support clients in understanding their experiences and moving toward healing.
The episode also addresses the emotional toll trauma work can have on clinicians, highlighting the importance of professional support, self-compassion, and recognizing early signs of burnout or dysregulation. Throughout the discussion, Dhavy emphasizes resilience, reminding listeners that healing is possible, even after complex and long-standing trauma, and that progress often begins with small, meaningful steps.
This episode offers valuable insights for clinicians, helping professionals, and anyone navigating their own healing journey.
Link to Dhavy's Psychology Today Profile: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists/dhavy-patel-des-moines-ia/1495524
00:00
38:54

18 February 2026
In this episode of The Clinical Moment, hosts Amy Davis and Casey Baker sit down with Michael, an LSI clinician who works with youth in juvenile detention centers across Iowa and is also a singer in his personal life. Michael shares how showing up, including attending court hearings, can transform trust, engagement, and willingness to heal, especially for young people who have never had a consistent advocate. He explains his deeply relationship-based approach and how he integrates Solution-Focused strategies such as exceptions, scaling, and future-oriented planning to help youth identify strengths, build realistic goals, and create a concrete “24/7 plan” for life outside detention.
The conversation expands into healthy relationships more broadly. Michael discusses what makes relationships emotionally safe, how communication breaks down, especially around trust injuries, and how couples can shift from reactive conflict to clearer needs, empathy, and repair. Along the way, he connects music and voice as metaphors for authenticity and expression, and he discusses creative tools that support youth in telling their stories in new ways.
Listen to Michael's music here:
https://open.spotify.com/track/4zvwoNQdQYsfRhOE01gXej?si=qELrm3jyRJOXRUBg3gYwZg
https://music.apple.com/us/album/love-letter/1858486891?i=1858486892
00:00
46:05

28 January 2026
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.
00:00
44:30

15 January 2026
00:00
14:27