This week on Calling in Sick, I'm sitting down with Kati Morton, LMFT — licensed marriage and family therapist, author of Why Do I Keep Doing This, Traumatized, and Are U Ok?, and one of the most trusted voices in accessible mental health online with 1.5 million YouTube subscribers.
This Monday, we're diving into:
🧠 The psychology of control — why humans are wired to need it, why chronic illness amplifies that need to a dangerous degree, and what happens in the brain and body when it's taken away
😤 The maladaptive ways control shows up in chronic illness patients — and why most of us don't even recognize them as control behaviors
🛠️ The CBT tools that actually help
If you have ever found yourself white-knuckling your routine, your diet, your relationships, or your work schedule while your body does whatever it wants… this episode is going to explain so much. 🤍
xx, Alex
💬 Comment: What is the ONE area of your life where you notice the need for control showing up the most?
TIMESTAMPS:
00:00:47 Intro to the Psychology of Control with guest Kati Morton
The Need for Control & Chronic Illness:
00:01:20 The illusion of control and body responses
00:05:51 Duality and processing freeze energy vs. toxic positivity
Maladaptive Control Coping Scenarios:
00:11:37 Breakdown of people pleasing behaviors
00:14:26 Perfectionism and “earning worth”
00:20:00 Eating disorders, exercise addiction, and lifestyle rigidity
00:25:51 All-or-nothing thinking cycles
Relational Control & Caregiver Dynamics:
00:26:50 The social impacts of chronic illness (e.g. canceling plans and how it impacts you AND others)
00:29:48 Why caregivers get burnt out
00:36:06 Catching anxiety before the fight, flight, or freeze state
Healing and Coping Tools:
00:38:29 The "Inner Detective" reframe and addressing past trauma
00:49:12 Reprogramming the brain's negativity bias
00:54:27 CBT tool: "Play it Out" (Worst, best, and most likely case)
00:57:32 Somatic releases and moving out of freeze mode
Conclusion:
01:00:00 One Brain Cell Show: Ted Lasso, Gilmore Girls, and some good reads
01:04:32 Connect with Kati Morton online
01:05:47 Thank you for listening!
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Connect with our guest, Kati Morton!
• Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/katimorton/
• TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@katimorton
• YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/user/KatiMorton
• Podcast (Ask Kati Anything) - https://www.youtube.com/@askkatianything
• Website - https://katimorton.com/
• Buy her latest book here - https://amzn.to/3RYiSDG
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Produced by: Alexandra Wildeson — https://www.instagram.com/alexandrawildeson/
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