Trust and Thrive

Welcome to Trust and Thrive! I'm Tara Montazeri, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and host of the podcast. Through honest conversations, solo episodes, and interviews with guests, we explore topics related to mental health, relationships, OCD/anxiety, self-compassion, and the messy, nuanced parts of being human. I hope these conversations can help you feel curious, connected, understood, and less alone. Thank you for being here! Instagram and TikTok: @trustandthrive; Email: trustandthrive@gmail.com

Trust and Thrive is a health podcast hosted by Tara Montazeri, LMFT, with 341 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80. PitchCentric scores this show on Booking Probability, Listen Score, and live audience signals refreshed every 24 hours.

Tara Montazeri, LMFT hosts Trust and Thrive, a health show with 341 episodes published.

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  Episode #341

  341: Performance Anxiety and Showing Up Under Pressure - with Dr. Kevin Chapman, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Sport Performance Anxiety Expert

  Aug 20, 202643 min

  Dr. Kevin Chapman is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and internationally recognized expert in anxiety, CBT, and sport performance psychology. He is the founder and director of the Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders (KYCARDS) and Mental Lock Sport Performance Psychology, where he specializes in anxiety, emotion regulation, and mental performance. A former collegiate track and field and football athlete, Dr. Chapman now works with athletes at the highest levels, including Team USA Weightlifting, Racing Louisville FC, and Louisville City FC. He is also a published author, researcher, and frequent media contributor, with expertise in helping athletes navigate performance anxiety and strengthen their mental skills. In this episode, we explore the psychology of performance anxiety, from athletics and high-pressure environments to everyday moments when anxiety can show up. We discuss the purpose of emotions, why trying to push anxiety away can often backfire, and the value in taking a nonjudgmental stance toward our internal experiences. Dr. Chapman also shares more about the concept of emotional conditioning, the brain’s role in storing threatening or traumatic experiences, and how exposure therapy can help us build a different relationship with fear and anxiety. We talk about practical anxiety regulation and management skills, navigating pressure without letting emotions dictate our decisions, and what it can look like to live authentically by taking action in alignment with our values, rather than feeling controlled by our emotional experiences. FOLLOW DR. CHAPMAN: INSTA: @drkevinchapman MORE INFO: Linktree WEBSITE: www.drkevinchapman.com STAY CONNECTED: INSTA: @trustandthrive TIKOK: @trustandthrive THREADS: @trustandthrive FACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramont EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

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  Episode #340

  340: The Pressure to Optimize Everything

  Aug 13, 202633 min

  In this solo episode, I explore the pressure many of us feel to optimize everything: our careers, productivity, relationships, interests, self-care, rest, therapy, and even "healing." I talk about how time-consuming and how mentally draining it can be to try to make the "best" choice every time and make the most out of very experience. I also touch on how optimization can show up in relation to OCD and ADHD. I share how these thoughts and experiences have shown up in my own life, and how I've leaned into making room for imperfection, uncertainty, and doing things despite the outcome - as hard as it may be. I also talk about how growing up as a child of immigrants can influence one's view of success, productivity, and making the most of opportunities. As always, resonating with this episode does not mean you live with OCD, ADHD, or any specific diagnosis. You can relate to these topics for a variety of reasons. If you can relate, you're not alone. STAY CONNECTED: INSTA: @trustandthrive TIKOK: @trustandthrive EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

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  Episode #339

  339: Is It Reflection or Rumination?

  Aug 6, 202630 min

  In this solo episode, I break down some differences between rumination and reflection, and explore why rumination can be so sneaky. Using both personal and professional experiences, I share how we can start to recognize rumination, and discuss how it often shows up in OCD and anxiety. I also discuss common signs of rumination, how it can function as a mental compulsion in OCD, why it often feels productive when it keeps us stuck, practical strategies to help you respond differently, and the importance of approaching yourself with self-compassion in these moments, rather than shame or self-criticism. In addition, I talk about the grief that can come with recognizing how much time, energy, and emotional space ruination may have taken over the years. For example, someone may have grown up believing they were just really "self-aware," when in reality they may have been caught in a cycle of distressing rumination. As always, I hope this episode can remind you that you're not alone. STAY CONNECTED: INSTA: @trustandthrive TIKOK: @trustandthrive EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

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  Episode #338

  338: The Lasting Impact of Parentification and Childhood Responsibility - with Sarah Ann Saeger, Internal Family Systems Therapist

  Jul 30, 202647 min

  Sarah Ann Saeger, LPC, LCADC, LAMFT, is an Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapist who specializes in complex trauma, addiction, and relationships. She is trained in IFS and an array of somatic,attachment-informed therapies. Sarah shares psychoeducation and reflections on parts work and the healing journey on her Instagram and Substack platforms. She is dedicated to helping survivors embrace the wisdom of their whole selves, and she supports survivors in her PA-based therapy practice. In this episode, we explore parentification: what it is, how it develops, and the ways it can continue to shape our lives after childhood. We discuss what can happen when a child grows up feeling responsible for the emotional well-being of others, learns to suppress their own needs, and takes on roles that were never theirs to carry. We also unpack the many nuances of these experiences, recognizing that family, culture, and generation has its own context. In addition, we talk about what it can look like to incorporate Internal Family Systems (IFS) into the work of complex trauma and parentification. We discuss how these early roles can show up in adult relationships through familiar relational patterns and reenactments. This includes why we may find ourselves drawn to partners who reinforce what once felt familiar, along with the grief that can come from recognizing what we needed but didn't receive. FOLLOW SARAH: INSTA: @sarahannsaeger MORE INFO: Linktree WORKBOOK: The Internal Family Systems Workbook For CPTSD STAY CONNECTED: INSTA: @trustandthrive TIKOK: @trustandthrive THREADS: @trustandthrive FACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramont EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

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  Episode #337

  337: Healing After Pet Loss and Honoring Our Animals - with Beth Bigler, Pet Loss Grief Counselor

  Jul 23, 202648 min

  When society says "it's just a pet," Beth Bigler says "your grief is valid and profound." As a double-certified Pet Loss Grief Counselor and founder of Honoring Our Animals, Beth is a pioneering voice in pet loss support, offering personalized care to individuals and families before, during, and after their beloved's transition. After the sudden death of her soulmate cat Arnie, she transformed her loss into a mission they began together: guiding guardians to honor their grief, connect with their beloveds, and integrate loss into their lives. Beth is the author of Honoring Our Animals: 365 Meditations for Healing After Pet Loss (Quarto/Wellfleet Press, 2025), the first daily grief companion created specifically for pet guardians, available worldwide and a go-to resource for therapists, veterinary clinics, and animal care organizations. Her second book is forthcoming from HarperCollins in 2027. She has been featured in Forbes, Psychology Today, The Sunday Times, USA Today, Business Insider, Daily Mail, and numerous television and radio outlets including KFI AM 640. Beth also built a 20-year career breaking ground as a writer, producer, and educator across stage, film, and television. Find her on Instagram @honoringouranimals. In this episode, we discuss the complexity of pet loss and grief that can follow. We discuss the societal judgment around grieving animals, why grief does not need to be justified or compared, and why loss of a pet can feel more painful than other losses for some. We hold space for the valid, complex emotions that can come with pet loss and remind listeners that there is no "one right way" to grieve. We touch on the beauty of bonding more deeply with certain animals and discuss the guilt that can arise when bringing a new pet after a loss. In addition, we discuss being able to hold space for both grief and love at the same time. We hope this episode can provide support, validation, compassion, understanding, and hope for those who need it. FOLLOW BETH: INSTA: @honoringouranimals WEBSITE: www.honoringouranimals.com BOOK: Honoring Our Animals: 365 Meditations for Healing after Pet Loss STAY CONNECTED: INSTA: @trustandthrive TIKOK: @trustandthrive THREADS: @trustandthrive FACEBOOK: bit.ly/FBtaramont EMAIL: trustandthrive@gmail.com

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