Therapist Unplugged
Welcome to Therapist Unplugged – Real Talk from Real Therapists.
Hosted by Laurie Poole of The Montfort Group, this podcast pulls back the curtain on what really happens in and around the therapy room. No jargon, no perfection—just honest conversations about the messy, meaningful, and deeply human parts of life.
We cover everything from burnout and boundaries to sex, shame, relationships, parenting, grief, identity shifts, and mental health in the modern world. Each episode features licensed therapists who get it—because we live it too.
If you're looking for emotional insight without the clinical lecture, you're in the right place.
New episodes drop regularly.
Subscribe, listen in, and stay a little more human with us.
*The Montfort Group is a private pay therapy practice in Plano, Texas specializing in helping high achieving adults and couples understand emotional patterns, relationship dynamics, and burnout beneath outward success.
Episodes
30 episodes
Integrative Psychiatry: A More Thoughtful Approach to Mental Health Care
What if mental health care didn’t have to feel rushed, reactive, or one-size-fits-all?In this episode of Therapist Unplugged, Laurie Poole is joined by psychiatrist Dr. Christian Monsalve for a grounded conversation about integr...
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40:27
Processing Grief: What Loss Teaches Us About Time, Choice, and Healing
Grief doesn’t follow a script. It surges in kitchens after laughter and settles into quiet corners of the day, especially when loss compounds across months. In this episode of Therapist Unplugged, Laurie Poole and Courtney ...
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44:35
Introducing Angela Johnson: The First Practicum Fellow of The Montfort Group
What if the hardest chapters of your life became the experience that makes you a steadier presence for others?Angela Johnson joins Laurie for her first conversation as The Montfort Group’s inaugural practicum fellow — a rol...
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31:49
The hidden benefits of personalized education are changing how students thrive.
What happens when education is completely reimagined around the individual student? Alexandria Armstrong, Director of Admissions at Fusion Academy in Plano, reveals the transformative power of their one-to-one teaching model where every class c...
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47:08
Balancing Hormones and Mental Health
Laurie interviews clinical herbalist Nicole Haglund about how Chinese medicine can help women restore balance to their hormones and nervous systems for better mental health. Nicole explains her journey from disordered eating to becoming an expe...
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39:15
From Tinder to Polyamory: Redefining Love, Trust, and Commitment
Can one relationship meet all your needs? In this eye-opening episode of Therapist Unplugged, married couple Leland and McKenzie share how their connection evolved from a casual Tinder hookup to a deeply committed polyamorous marriage....
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52:31
Sex After 60: Intimacy, Aging & Desire | Laurie Poole with Sex Therapist Edita Ruzgyte
When was the last time you had an honest conversation about sex after 60?In this episode of Therapist Unplugged, host Laurie Poole is joined by sex therapist Edita Ruzgyte for a candid look at aging, desire, and intimacy in late...
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55:32
Progressive Relaxation for Stress Relief | Guided Practice with Laurie Poole, LPC
Ready to reset your nervous system?In this calming episode, therapist Laurie Poole leads you through a guided Progressive Relaxation practice designed to release physical tension, quiet your mind, and bring your body back to a sta...
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8:40
Guided Meditation for Stress Relief | Narrated by Laurie Poole, LPC
Feeling overwhelmed? Press play and pause the chaos.In this brief but powerful guided meditation, therapist Laurie Poole walks you through a calming mental reset—designed to help you relax your body, quiet your thoughts, and reconnect wi...
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16:14
What Happens When Men Enter the Therapy Room?
What happens when two therapists get real about men in therapy? This candid conversation delivers profound insights about why men struggle with emotions and how therapy can create transformative spaces for authentic expression.Therapist...
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52:55
Healing from the Inside Out: Mind-Body Connection with Morgan Lewis
What if the key to mental well-being starts in your gut? In this episode, holistic nutrition consultant Morgan Lewis shares her journey from debilitating stomach pain to discovering the powerful link between digestion and mental health....
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37:34
Unpacking Attachment Styles for Healthier Connections with Courtney Strull
How do early experiences shape the way we connect as adults? In this episode, Licensed Professional Counselor Courtney Strull from The Montfort Group unravels the mysteries of attachment styles and their profound impact on mental health, from a...
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34:46
Girl Talk: Discovering Identity in a Safe Space for Teenage Girls
Adolescence is a time of transition, where peer influence begins to shape identity and self-worth. In this episode, therapist Heather Caballero explores the power of group therapy in providing teenage girls with a safe space to express themselv...
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21:51
Intimacy and Overcoming Sexual Trauma with Heather Caballero: Part 2
Have you ever wondered how past experiences shape your present relationships, especially when it comes to something as deeply personal as sexual trauma? In this follow-up to our previous episode, Heather Caballero returns to delve deeper into t...
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30:08
Intimacy and Overcoming Sexual Trauma with Heather Caballero: Part 1
What holds couples back from true connection? In this episode, sex therapy expert Heather Caballero dives deep into the challenges of intimacy and sexual trauma, offering tools to foster deeper, more fulfilling relationships. From tackling sexu...
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31:33
Exploring EMDR Therapy with Gergana Markov
What if you could navigate the toughest moments of your life without reliving the pain? Join us for an enlightening episode as we welcome Gergana, a seasoned expert in EMDR therapy, who unravels the transformative power of this groundbreaking a...
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25:23
Toxic Traits in Dating
Dating in the modern world comes with its challenges, from missed red flags to navigating toxic traits that can surface in relationships. In this episode, Laurie Poole and Monica Miller discuss the subtle signs of imbalance in dating and how...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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28:57
Recovery from heartbreak
Is there anything more painful than heartbreak? The end of a relationship can plummet us to the depths of grief and sadness in a way that few other experiences ever will. It’s an unavoidable part of life that leaves us feeling truly untethered ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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27:41
Dating Rule #1: Know Your Worth
Between the fear of fake dating profiles, commitment, and the sheer time and expense it takes to find a match, it’s no wonder that dating today is hard. Not to mention adding an ongoing pandemic to the mix. With ghosting becoming the new normal...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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23:57
The Art of Apology
The words "I'm sorry" play a big part in our daily lives. You might apologize while squeezing through a crowd or spilling something at dinner. We tend to easily say the words in these circumstances, but genuine apologies are a different story.<...
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16:50
Life Over 60: A Conversation With Friends
In this episode of Therapist Unplugged, host Laurie Poole interviews two long-time friends, who have known one another over 30 years, about the joys of life over 60. No topic is off limits as they share perspectives on sex, marriage, motherhood...
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47:31
A Sense of Belonging with Gergana Markov
People’s sense of social belonging, or their sense that they have good relationships with others, is a fundamental human need. That is, having solid social connections can be as important to human health and happiness as having food, water, and...
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43:38
Realities of Adoption with Laura Summers
People have a lot of ideas and thoughts about what adoption looks like today. They might have seen things on television or in movies or heard stories about what the adoption process entails.Unfortunately, there are some common misconcept...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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41:24
Communication in Relationships 101 with Connie Cornwell
Do you have a roadmap for defining a good relationship with your partner? At its core, we all want and long for secure adult attachment. That’s when partners have total trust in each other, which creates a safe haven knowing that y...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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48:58