Welcome!! To connect or become a client visit catiaholm.com or call/text 956-249-7930.

In today's episode, Inside A Free Youth Crisis Respite Program In Texas with Lauren Mitchell, we sit with the reality of the youth mental health crisis and what it feels like when a family runs out of ideas and energy. Lauren Mitchell breaks down how a Youth Crisis Respite Center offers a free, trauma-informed pause that helps kids recenter and helps families reconnect with hope.

• what a youth crisis respite center is and why it exists
• how Hill Country MHDD supports 19 Texas counties with community mental health resources
• why a home-like setting can feel safer than institutional care
• how the 7-day, 24/7 model works for ages 12 to 17
• what “low risk of harm” means and when higher care is needed
• why kids cannot be mandated to attend and how autonomy builds buy-in
• the “Coke bottle” approach to slowing down crisis conversations
• what teens wish adults understood about social media and emotional overload
• how backing off as a parent can build resilience and self-efficacy

Show Guest:

Lauren Mitchell is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate and the Director of the Youth Crisis Respite Center at Hill Country Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Centers in San Marcos.

What I love about Lauren’s work is that she approaches mental health through a deeply relational and human lens. Her background spans family therapy, crisis stabilization, trauma-informed care, leadership in community mental health systems, and family-centered support programs.

But beyond the credentials—and there are many—what stands out about Lauren is her presence. She has this grounded, collaborative way of helping people feel safe enough to breathe again during some of their hardest moments.

She believes healing happens through connection, dignity, and meeting people exactly where they are.

You can contact Lauren at: lauren@brightlightmft.com, or find her 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

Welcome! To become a client or connect visit catiaholm.com or call/text 956-249-7930.

In this episode, we explore why healing happens faster when we stop carrying everything alone and let safe people and safe faith practices hold some of the weight. Pastor Gaylon Clark joins me to connect neuroscience, worship, mental health, and real-world support into a picture of community that feels loving and practical.

• nervous system safety through presence and attunement
• why isolation increases stress and anxiety
• worship as humility that opens us to God and others
• the pull of rugged individualism and how it distorts perspective
• why success can tempt us to drift from what centers us
• letting go of shame-based messages and trusting God’s love
• how a church can show up in crisis with tangible help
• leadership loneliness and the need for mutually supportive relationships
• making space for therapy and faith to coexist
• finding belonging beyond the crowd through small groups
• simple practices for connection like kindness and curiosity c

Show Guest:

Pastor Gaylon Clark is the Lead Pastor of Greater Mt. Zion Church in Austin, Texas, where he has faithfully served for over 25 years. With a heart for both spiritual growth and community impact, he has led the church in expanding its outreach locally and globally—launching initiatives that address poverty, education, economic empowerment, and mental health.

A passionate advocate for community transformation, Pastor Clark plays a key leadership role in citywide efforts such as Dream Together 2030, where he helps guide mental health initiatives aimed at building a more compassionate Austin. Under his leadership, Greater Mt. Zion has become a hub of support and connection, offering resources like food and clothing pantries, financial assistance programs, and educational partnerships.

Pastor Clark holds degrees from Dallas Baptist University and Dallas Theological Seminary, and is deeply committed to fostering meaningful relationships, spiritual belonging, and holistic well-being. He lives in Austin with his wife, Kathy, and is the proud father of their son, Michael.

You can connect with Pastor Clark at Greater Mt. Zion, on Instagram, or on Facebook.

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

Welcome! To connect or become a client, visit catiaholm.com or call/text 956-249-7930.

In today's episode, we talk with strategic communication mentor Bia Berlitz about why our feelings can be bigger than our vocabulary and why that gap can make us feel alone. We connect language, identity, and mental wellness so we can communicate with more clarity, self-trust, and compassion.

• linguistic relativity and how language shapes emotion
• why some feelings feel clearer in certain languages
• accessing different layers of self through multilingual life
• frustration and shame when you cannot find words
• “where communication fails, health pays the price” and the mind-body cost of repression
• confidence gains that come with learning and being understood
• quick fixes like translation apps versus long-term language growth
• journal prompt on where you feel understood and where you search for words

Show Guest:

Bia Berlitz is a Strategic Communication Mentor who helps people find their voice—and use it with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Fluent in five languages and working in both English and Portuguese, Bia brings more than 30 years of experience teaching and mentoring clients across Brazil and around the world.

With a background in Portuguese and English Language Studies, Bia has worked with executives, actors, and professionals from all walks of life. Her passion lies in helping people expand beyond what they thought was possible—whether that’s speaking a new language, stepping into leadership, or expressing themselves more authentically.

At her core, Bia believes communication is about connection. Her mission is to bridge worlds and transform voices through language and oratory, creating space for people to be seen, heard, and understood.

Off the mic, Bia is a devoted, down-to-earth mom who treasures her family deeply and finds joy in the simple things—especially time by the beach.

You can connect with Bia on Instagram at Brigida Berlitz.

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